
\XA/\/\AjXA/nA,Cl 



NUGGETS OF EXPERIENCE 



NARRATIVES OF THE SIXTIES AND OTHER 
DAYS, WITH GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF 
THRILLING PERSONAL ADVENTURES 

= B Y = 



Dr. Nelson Armstrong, V. S. 



LATE OF THE EIGHTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY ^ 
VETERAN OF THE SECOND ARMY CORPS ^ TWENTY-EIGHT 
YEARS A MEMBER OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC 

Charter Member d Phil. Kearney Post, No. 7, 1876, Yankton, Dakota Territory 
Janed Garfield Post, No. 25, Wichita, Kan., by Card, 1894 



PRESENT MEMBER 

W. R. CORNMAN POST. NO. 57. BY CARD 



SAN BERNARDINO 
1904 



Cloth Bound - Price $1.50 



Tliaes- Mirror P. aod B. House 
1906 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Recetved 

MAR 26 1906 

. ^ Copyright Entry , 
CLASS CL XXC. No. 

/ ifO ^J^f 

' COPY B. ' 



COPYRIGHT 1906 

DR. NEI.SON ARMSTRONG 



Dedication. 

I deem it fitting that this little Book be dedicated to my 
comrades, the Veteran heroes, of the stormy and rebellious 
days of the Civil War, (who are dear to me as brothers), their 
sons and daughters, the patriotic and liberty loving citizens of 
our United States of America. 

With esteem and affection of the Author. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 

Frontispiece - - - - - - - - 1 

OflScers of the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery - 31 -' 

Billy McCabe Defying the Johnnies - - - - 71 '' 

The Quarter Dash at Piatt Creek - - - - 123 

There are the Indians - - - - - - - 139 

The House That Became Historic .... igs 

Captain Lavender, with Yawl and Crew - - 175 

I Have "Got" You, Old Man 207 

The Redwood Cabin on the Hill 229*' 

Last of Our Happy Days ...... 247 ^ 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I. 

Boyhood, and Days Leading up to the War. 

Election of 1856 — Stormy scenes on the floors of Congress — 
Old Bowie Knife — Another Presidential Election — I>ay3 that 
tried the soul of man— Three boys — Noble aged patriot. 

CHAPTER II. 

The Sixties, 

Historical Review of the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery, 
(one hundred and twenty-ninth infantry) — Its enrollment, or- 
ganization, transformation — Duties in the defenses of Washing- 
ton — March to the front — Movements with the army of the Poto- 
mac in the ovenand campaign — Siege of Petersburg. 

CHAPTER III. 

General Grant Lieutenant General — The Eighth New York 
Heavy Artillery leaves Baltimore — March through Washington — 
The Potomac — Landing in old Virginia — the night in the woods — 
Arrival at Spottsylvania— The first engagement — The gray 
horse — A two mile dash — Charge on the enemy. 

CHAPTER IV. 

To the North Anna River — Crossing the bridge under fire — 
The turn to the left — The Chickahominy — And Battle of Cold 
Harbor — Captain Ludden a prisoner three minutes — Tribute to 
Colonel Porter — Sergeant Joseph Shaw. 

CHAPTER- V. 

In the Shadow of the Wilderness — The Dawn — General 
Grant's strategy — Sherman and the western boya — Sheridan in 



CONTENTS 

the Shenandoah — Historic march — Charge the enemy's works at 
Petersburg — Death of Lieutenant Colonel Bates — Captain Lud- 
den, a prisoner, goes to Richmond — Captain Ludden's return to 
the Regiment — Colonels Murphy and Mclver — The boys in the 
blue and the gray. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Battle of Hatcher's Run (Boydton Road). 

Leaving the line in front of Petersburg — My difficulties — 
The new recruit — on the flank — Captain Ludden in command of 
the Regiment — Death of Lieutenant Fellows — Officers assembled 
— Rebel battery opens fire on the house — The boys on horse — 
We charge the enemy — The Rebel prisoner — Two brigades to 
the rear — Memories of General Grant — Billy McCabe — The Re- 
trograde march — The wounded Lieutenant — Return to the line 
in front of Petersburg. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Some of the reasons why the comrades are clinging together 
today. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Eighth New York Heavy Artillery (129th Infantry) Volun- 
teers. 

Official Reports. 

Letter of E. D. Morgan, Albany, N. Y.— Letter of Thos. Hill- 
house, Adjt. General — Regiment arrives at Baltimore — Trans- 
formation — Joins Second Army Corps — Major Gen. John Gibbon's 
Report of Cold Harbor — Major Erastus M. Spaulding. 

Battle of R-eam-Station. 

Report of Colonel Murphy — Maj. Gen. John Gibbon — Gen'l 
Order No. 63 — Letter of Major Gen. Hancock. 

Hatcher's Run or Boydton Road. 

Report of Brig. Gen'l Egen— Col. James Willett— Thos. A. 
Smith, Brig. Gen'l. — Gen'l. Order No. 41 — Major General Meade. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER IX. 

America's Heroes of Freedom. 

Two score years— Lee and the two Johnsons — Senators and 
Representatives — Brave men wept — Seized forts and arsenals — 
Grant and Sherman— Logan's encouragement to the Government 
—The President's call for Volunteers— Battle of Bull Run— In- 
crease of the army to five hundred thousand — Four long years — 
The enemies' country— All the same gnawed hard-tack— An army 
of Patriots — Our country could not be divided — Invincible army — 
Gathering of the Veterans— Ties that bind men most closely 
to each other — The fallen comrades— American, we love thy 
name. 

CHAPTER X. 

Our social meeting day— The year of Sixty-Three— Auld 
Lang Syne — Happy days of yore — Flowery Florida. 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Postponed Horse, or Across Dakota Territory in 1880. 

A contemplated journey to the gold fields — My new friend- 
Trotting horse Turk Gold-dust— Fitted out for a campaign on 
the open prairies— White-Swan and Fort Randall— Piatt Creek— 
The quarter dash— Fort Thompson— A night with old friends- 
Indian agencies— The Big Muddy— Big Bend— Birth of contem- 
plation—Fort Perrie— The Village Hotel— Wakpa Shicka. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Bad river— The storm at Plum Creek— Indians on the war- 
path — Dead Man's Creek— Cheyenne River — A greater misfor- 
tune — The Indians in sight— The phantom Horse-guards. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Elk Creek Valley— My reverie — Bull-dog Ranch— Scoop- 
town— Bowlder Park— Metropolis of the Black Hills— Arrival 
at the Race Track — Runners about Camp — The strange horse — 
President of the Trotting and Racing Association— The post- 
ponment— Corpulent butter— Two gentlemen became the owners 
of my Trotter— Eastward Bound— Curley and Auld Lang Syne. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Ten Days in the Flood on the Missouri River, 1881. 

The cold winter — Breaking of the ice — A venturesome peo- 
ple — The Steamer Western — The gorge unbroken — Hanson's 
landing — Our first duty as rescuers — The blessings of a de- 
lighted young wife — The house that became Historic. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Arrival at the Park's Place — The little skiff at sea — Terrific 
Btorm — Thirty-six hours imprisonment — Danger not fully real- 
ized — Mercury hovering around zero — In younger days — Preter- 
natural scenery — Arrival of Captain Lavender with yawl and 
crew — Searching the icy country for an outlet — Singing on the 
water a bad omen — Captain Noble at the helm. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

My craft — Captain Noble a stranger — Receding of the waters 
— The Hardys — Return of the water — Crowded apartments — 
West's Harbor — Religious services — Monday, April fourth — A 
hard and a long pull — The Nelson Family — We took a walk — Re- 
turn to the troubled waters — The widow and family — Blinding 
enow storm— Brave hearts and willing hands. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Paper of S. K. Felton 

Necessity of more boats — The Iron life boat — Our appear- 
ance hailed with joy — Crashing ice and roaring waters — Hemmed 
in by the gorge — Helping along the old and encouraging all — 
The sturdy hearts and willing ones. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Days of the High Wheels, or How Dakota Belle Trotted 
away with the stakes. 

Mitchell an aspiring town — The Race-Track — The favorite 
gray mare — Excitement running high — The young mare that was 
raised in Dakota — Faint hopes — The third day of July — The Im- 



CONTENTS 

mense crowd of people— A newly aroused intelligence— A des- 
perate trio— Plenty of ice the balance of the season. 

CHAPTER' XIX. 

A Feast With the Hawkeyes. 

Unlike Uncle Isaac Grossman- The Hawkeye Club— So saya 
the Doctor— Beach and Gould— Natural Scenery — More ex- 
perience than capital— All smiles and attention— Invited for an 
outing— A Tam-0-Shanter ride— The old mare's blood was roiled 
— Jack's obligated duty. 

CHAPTER XX. 
A Comrade's Letter. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Twice an Out-Cast— A Warden's experience. 



PREFACE. 

In preparing this work, which, has been a labor of 
love, as well as a necessity, I make no claim to profound 
investigations, or literary merit. The sentiments and style 
are my own, written from memory, after so many years. 
I have simply attempted to narrate facts and events as 
they appeared to my personal observation. "Whatever the 
defects, I crave the indulgence of my comrades in arms, 
their descendants, and a generous and grateful public. 

One by one, the heroes of the great struggle are an- 
swering the last roll-call, and passing to that great be- 
yond, whose streets are golden paved, and where shot and 
shell from an hostile army's guns, and the dangers and 
difficulties of a soldier's life are unknown. Nearly two 
score years have elapsed since the restoration of peace. 
There are still living many comrades whose experiences in 
the days of hostilities— and in peaceful times— were simi- 
lar to my own. To them the following reminiscences will 
recall many fading recollections ; and I trust prove of more 
than a passing interest. To their children, they will recall 
valiant deeds performed by noble mothers and sons and 
daughters at home bereft of a husband and father's care 
in those agonizing days of Civil War. 

Having lost my health in the service of my country 
during the Rebellion, the days of the nation's peril, I have 

2 



PREFACE 

suffered these many years with disablements contracted 
there. I have sought climate and physicians, hoping to 
regain health or repair damage received at that time, but 
without success. The experiment has been to me a costly 
one. I find myself in these late years unablq to perform 
any part of manual labor, and with only a small remit- 
tance from the government to live upon. Desiring however 
to earn my support, I have selected from my personal, 
adventurous experiences the narratives contained in these 
pages, hoping my friends and patrons will find them enter-f 
taioing and of benefit, and that I may receive from them 
a small revenue that will aid me to live in ja fairly com.^ 
fortable manner through declining years, 
Devotedly yours, 

NELSON ARMSTRONG. 



Stories of the War 
of the Rebellion 



86 




1865 



an6 2>aBS leasing up to tbe Mat 



CHAPTER 



ELECTION OP 1856— STORMY SCENES ON THE FLOORS OF 
CONGRESS— OLD BOWIE KNIFE— AJSTOTHER PRESIDENTIAL 
EIjECTION— DAYS THAT TRIED THE SOUL OF MAN— THREE 
BOYS— NOBLE AGED PATRIOT. 

My parents were born in St. Lawrence County, New 
York. They were of Scotch-Irish descent. At the time of 
my birth they were residing in Canada, where my father 
was interested in the lumber business, and through the in- 
fluence of Canadian friends I was named for the Lord 
Admiral of the British Navy, Lord Nelson, When I was 
six years old we removed to Niagara County, in the State 
of New York, there being a large family of children. 

After my tenth year had passed, I was but very little 
of my time at home. Living at Niagara Falls, and having 
a great fondness for breaking and riding horses, I readily 
found employment. Later I went to Lewiston, near which 
place I was engaged in work at farming and handling 
horses, which seemed to me a pleasant and smoothly run- 
ning occupation and the kind I enjoyed. The general 
routine of labor was followed year after year, I attending 
the district school in the winter months, and I think the 
people in those days were really happy; they seemed eon- 



22 NUGGBTS OP EXPBRIBNCB 

tent with their lot in life,— at least, those that I knew and 
heard of. 

My earliest recollection of a Presidential campaign 
was in 1856, which resulted in the election of James Buch- 
anan. The national troubles at this time were brewing, 
and while the planters, mechanics and industrious people 
were happy and prosperous, the politicians and busybodies 
in the South were scheming and plotting secession. There 
were many stormy scenes on the floors of Congress, and 
towards the close of the administration matters reached 
a boiling heat. 

It was about this time the Hon. John F. Potter, Rep- 
resentative from Wisconsin, acquired the title of *'01d 
Bowie Knife." In April, 1860, when treason had raised 
its hand to stab the Nation to the death, and a hot debate 
was going on in the House, member after member from 
the South arose and poured his wrath upon the heads of 
the "mudsills" of the North. And now came the turn in 
the tide— Owen Lovejoy, a bold and fearless man from 
Illinois, arose to reply. He denounced the institution of 
slavery in a manner unheard of before in the halls of Con- 
gress; the Southerners winced beneath his sledgehammer 
blows. Lovejoy marched down one aisle and up another 
among the Southern members, shaking his fist in their 
faces and denouncing them in unmeasured terms. 

While this was going on, Roger A. Pryor, a Virginian, 
later a lawyer in New York City, advanced to the center 
of the hall in a towering passion exclaiming, **The gentle- 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 23 

man from Illinois shall not approach this side of the House 
shaking his fists and talking in the way he has talked ! It 
is bad enough to be compelled to sit here and hear him 
utter his treasonable and insulting language, but he shall 
not, sir, come upon this side of the House shaking his fists 
in our faces." 

At this time Mr. Potter arose and said: "We have 
listened to the gentlemen upon the other side for eight 
weeks when they denounced the members upon this side 
with violent and offensive language. We listened to them 
gently and heard them through, and now, sir, this side 
shall be heard, let the consequences be what they may ! ' ' 

This of course drew the fire and the brunt of the battle 
onto Potter, and Pryor was quick to rain down his abuse 
upon him, but the man from the Badger State stood by 
his word, and a few days later received a note from Pryor. 
Hindman, of Arkansas, delivered it. It only asked Mr. 
Potter to leave the District to receive a written communi- 
cation. Potter answered that as the note contemplated a 
duel, and as his disqualification was contained in the Consti- 
tution of Wisconsin, he would not leave the District. 

This was followed by a peremptory challenge, which 
Potter accepted, and quickly named the common bowie 
knife as the weapon, the duellists to be locked in a room. 
Chisholm, Pryor 's second, protested against so barbarous 
a weapon, but Lander, Potter's second, would consent to 
no other, but offered to substitute himself for Potter with 
other weapons. This could not be agreed to, and no further 



24 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

demands were made upon Mr. Potter. At the Convention 
which met at Chicago in June following, he was presented 
by the Missouri delegation with a bowie knife, seven feet 
long with a blade three inches wide; the handle was of 
ebony and the blade was beautifully polished steel. On 
one side of the blade was the inscription: " Presented to 
John F. Potter of Wisconsin by the Republicans of Mis- 
souri, (1860.) " On the opposite side was: " Will always 
meet a Prior engagement. ' ' 

Another Presidential campaign came on in the fall 
of 1860, and Mr. Lincoln was elected President of the 
United States. This the Southern leaders alleged a suffi- 
cient cause for secession and rebellion, and at once pro- 
ceeded to take possession of the United States mints, the 
forts, the arsenals, and even tore down and insulted the 
Nation's flag. They said the North was made up of mean 
manufacturers, of traders and farmers, who were cravens 
and cowards and would not fight. 

Even after forts had been taken and public arms 
stolen from the arsenals and distributed among the enraged 
militia in the South, the brave, patient and honest freemen 
of the Great North could not realize the fact, and did not 
until Beauregard began to fire upon a garrison of United 
States troops in Fort Sumter. Then, in a mighty upheavel, 
the people arose. The thunderbolt had burst forth in all 
its barbarity. Those were days that tried the soul of man. 
We had no choice ; a civil war was forced upon us and the 
country called upon her patriotic sons for protection, and 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRlBNCn 25 

all mankind have recognized in the people of the North 
a brave and stubborn race. 

In the family in which I lived there were three boys ; 
though they were not of the one family, they were to each 
other as brothers. All of them signed allegiance to their 
country in her hour of need, and two had early gone forth 
in obedience to the call to arms. I, being the youngest 
of the number, was the last to leave home, but the struggle 
continued and the time came when my services were also 
needed. Of the three athletic and aspiring young men,— 
one son and two adopted,— who left the home of that noble, 
aged patriot, Cyrus Peet, (whose energetic support and 
encouragement were ever for the Union and who asked 
only to be permitted to remain in this life until Peace and 
Freedom be restored to the National cause,— he passed 
away soon after),— one in his fourth year of service lost a 
leg in battle near St. Mary 's Church, resulting in his death ; 
one a little later succumbed to typhoid fever at City Point 
hospital. Although both departed this life on the soil of 
Virginia, the battlefield of the Rebellion, their remaing 
are resting in the little churchyard at Lewiston, New York, 
and after the war I alone returned in life, but a mere frag- 
ment of my former self, to the old home. 



Ube Sixties 



CHAPTER II 



HISTORICAL REVIEW OP THE EIGHTH NEW YORK HEAVT AR- 
TILLERY, (one hundred and TWENTY-NINTH INFAN- 
TRY)— ITS ENROLLMENT, ORGANIZATION, TRANSFORMA- 
TION—DUTIES IN THE DEFENSES OF WASHINGTON- 
MARCH TO THE FRONT— MOVEMENTS WITH THE ARMY 
OF THE POTOMAC IN THE OVERLAND CAMPAIGN— SIEGE 
OF PETERSBURG. 

The One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment, New 
York Infantry Volunteers, was recruited and organized at 
Loekport, New York, in the summer of 1862 ; composed of 
the good, moral and able-bodied young men of Niagara, 
Wyoming and Genesee Counties, and some who were filling 
prominent positions at time of enlistment. It was com- 
manded by Colonel Peter A. Porter, of Niagara Falls, 

Some time after being assigned to duty, this regiment 
was transformed into Artillery, and was afterward known 
as the Eighth Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery Volun- 
teers, and was placed in the defenses of Washington, D. C, 
headquarters at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland, with 
permission to recruit two new companies; also to fill up 
the ten old companies to the Artillery standard. 



30 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

In 1863 the war had been going on more than two 
years, during which time my attention had been particu- 
larly given to the operations of the Army of the Potomac. 
Novel and exciting reports of daring deeds at the front 
were current; officers were in all parts of the country re- 
cruiting soldiers ; bands of music were playing ; drums were 
beaten, guns were fired, patriotic speeches were made; the 
people hurrahed, and men enlisted for the war. I was 
seized with a sudden, aspiring desire to become a soldier, 
to be one to take part in the struggle for the cause sacred 
to all true in heart. I believed my country needed iny 
services; my patriotism was aroused to its utmost. 

Officers were instructed to enlist men, allowing them 
the privilege of choosing their company and regiment. I 
knew Company E of the Eighth New York had been re- 
cruited at Niagara Falls. I, having lived and attended 
school there when a small boy, was personally acquainted 
with its Captain and nearly all of its members, and some 
of them had written that they were holding a place in the 
company for me. I reported at the recruiting office at 
Lockport and succeeded in passing examination. Before 
taking our final leave for the regiment, I found there were 
fifteen (myself making sixteen) Lewiston boys who had 
enlisted for the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery. 

A few days were required after enlistment to prepare 
the new recruits for going to their regiments. A certain 
number must be ready to move at the same time; clothing 
must be drawn ; speeches were to be made and good advice 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 33 

given. Finally, however, the red tape did give out and 
the boys were started on their way rejoicing. Loaded in 
box cars, in or on top of freight (we did not have palace 
cars, nor did we ask or wish for them), we were a happy 
lot. 

When we reached Elmira, the State rendezvous for 
recruits for the State of New York, we quartered in a 
three story, wooden warehouse; it had been used so much 
for this purpose that it had the appearance of being used 
many years for a cattle pen to which the city scavenger 
never had access. But we were the younger boys of the 
family, the older ones having gone on before; they were 
requiring a good deal of attention, and Uncle Sam had 
not yet got to us with suitable bed clothing, so while we 
remained in these quarters our beds were on the muddy 
floor; we were young, however, and soldiers too, and ex- 
pected to see hardships, for we were soon to be engaged 
in the gentle occupation of killing or being killed, and 
did not complain of a muddy bed. After remaining at 
these quarters a few days, we removed to the barracks for 
a few days more, when we got transportation to the regi- 
ment. 

We reached Baltimore in due time and were marched 
to Fort McHenry, the regimental headquarters, when I 
found Company E had received its quota. But we were 
informed that Companies L and M were not yet complete 
and we were requested to join one of the new companies. 
Company L would be commanded by Captain S. D. Lud- 



34 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

den, of Batavia, New York, who had not at that time made 
his appearance in the regiment, and had never been seen 
by any of the Lewiston boys, but was said to be a gallant 
young officer, twenty-four years of age, who had served 
in the army the first two years of the war, and at the ex- 
piration of his enlisted term returned home with the hon- 
ors of a First Lieutenant's commission; also, during his 
stay at home, as Governor Seymour's officer, he had re- 
cruited three hundred and fifty men for the United States 
service. The result of a brief consultation among the Lew- 
iston boys was in favor of Company L, and I believe there 
was never a murmur of regret as to choice. 

Companies D, F, L and M were located at Fort Fed- 
eral Hill, where they remained until the spring of 1864, 
engaged in drill and guarding the city of Baltimore. 

As spring came and the sun grew warm, the snow 
melted away. Frequent reports came to us through the 
press of the preparations, concentration and movements 
of troops at the front; all seemed to point as strong evi- 
dence to a lively coming summer campaign. Time was 
seeming long; garrison duty was tame soldiering; I was 
anxious for active service and desired to see something of 
the excitement of war. I longed to see the great army in 
motion and to be with it. 



CHAPTER III 



GENERAL GRANT LIEUTENANT-GENERAL— THE EIGHTH NEW 
YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY LEAVES BALTIMORE— MARCH 
THROUGH WASHINGTON— THE POTOMAC— LANDING IN 
OLD VIRGINIA— THE NIGHT IN THE WOODS— ARRIVAL AT 
SPOTTSYLVANIA— THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT — THE GRAY 
HORSE— A TWO-MILE DASH — CHARGE ON THE ENEMY. 

On the 9th day of March, 1864, General Grant was 
commissioned Lieutenant General, and on the 12th, by spe- 
cial order of the President, assigned to the command of 
all the armies of the United States. And now came orders 
to all Heavy Artillery regiments to report at the front for 
duty. The boys were jubilant with the prospect of being 
relieved from the oft-repeated white glove, dress parade 
duty at the fort. 

At country's call we in line did fall, 

Though the storms 'did almost drown us; 

Both night and day we marched away, 
For the dear ones left behind us. 

Well I remember that Sabbath morning when, with 
buoyant step and hopeful hearts, we marched out of Fort 
Federal Hill, through the streets of Baltimore. The rain 
was falling in torrents, and our regimental band before us 



36 NUGGBTS OF EXPBRIBNCE 

gaily played "The Girl I Left Behind Me." What glory 
there seemed in store for the young soldier! Merrily we 
tramped along through the rain and running water until 
we reached the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company's 
yards, where we waited in the rain several hours for a 
freight train which was being prepared to carry us to 
"Washington. 

We were on our way to the battlefields, thirsting for 
the sights there to be seen, believing that a great responsi- 
bility rested upon us, that we would act a very important 
part in the great drama, and with our aid the national 
troubles would soon be settled. I can frankly say we very 
soon had the opportunity of knowing why we were there 
and the kind of material we were composed of, I have 
sometimes thought that possibly the war could have been 
brought to a close if we had not been there, but I am pleased 
to know we are honored with the credit of having done 
our duty well on the field of battle. I am credibly in- 
formed that our regiment ranks second on the rolls as hav- 
ing lost the greatest number in battle. 

Our train was got ready for us at last and we reached 
Washington the second night. We were quartered in a 
large, open building, and the next morning, after break- 
fasting on soft bread and coffee, we were called into line 
and marched past the Capitol and down Pennsylvania 
Avenue towards the Potomac River. The doors, windows 
and roofs of buildings were occupied to their fullest capa- 
city; the streets were thronged with anxious people watch- 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 37 

ing our moving column, eighteen hundred strong,— a mag- 
nificent regiment or a small Artillery brigade. Many amus- 
ing and encouraging words were given us as we passed 
along. Some said it was the finest regiment that had passed 
through Washington; others remarked that we would not 
be long in closing accounts with the Rebels, and some said 
we must whip the Johnnies and come back soon for "the 
girls we left behind" were waiting for us. We arrived at 
the Eiver, where the transports were waiting for us, and 
were soon on board, longing to move down that memorable 
stream, which many of us had never seen before but had 
often heard mentioned in 1861 and '62. 

It will be remembered by all who were in sympathy 
with the National cause in those days, that after the first 
battle of Bull Run, General McDowell, the first commander 
of the Union forces in the field, was relieved and General 
McClellan assigned to command the Department of Wash- 
ington and Northeastern Virginia, and later, to command 
the armies of the United States, with his headquarters at 
Washington. 

The Confederates were actively preparing for war and 
rapidly increasing their strength and number. The inac- 
tivity of the Federal Army caused a great deal of dissatis- 
faction throughout the North. The people were in dark- 
ness by reason of the splendid Army of the Potomac lying 
in idleness, and for many months were kept anxiously 
watching, expecting at any hour to hear of a dashing move- 
ment with a brilliant victory to our arms. But no news 



38 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

came,— only the old, fatiguing repetition, "All quiet on the 
Potomac. ' ' Thus we often heard mentioned the Potomac. 

The aspirations to political distinction seemed to be a 
prevailing epidemic in the first years of the war, and the 
representatives of the National cause were so divided in 
sympathy that had not our cause been mercifully guarded 
by the All-wise Providence, we surely would have perished. 
The President was sorely distressed. The parental Lincoln 
was certainly bereft of all patience when he said to Gen- 
erals McDowell and Franklin, "If General McClellan does 
not want to use the army, I would like to borrow it, pro- 
vided I can see how it can be made to do something." 

We did not have long to wait on our little transports; 
they were soon on the way, and steamed down the river un- 
til landed at the mouth of Aquia Creek, where we disem- 
barked and set foot on the soil of Old Virginia. We moved 
back a short distance from the River and went into camp 
for the night. 

Next morning we struck tents, and commenced our 
march across the plain towards the Rappahannock River, 
which, with the sun about one hour in sight, we crossed 
on a pontoon bridge about one-half mile to the left, or down 
the river, from the ruins of Fredericksburg. Night came • 
on us as we were passing over a narrow road with heavy 
timber on each side, and we were allowed to break ranks 
and go into the woods to lie down for the night. 

When in these later years I reflect on that night's 
doings, I think what a lot of Si Eleggs there must have 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 39 

been. It seemed to me every man in tlie regiment was at 
a loss as to his own whereabouts and was calling at the top 
of his voice for his messmate, and the echoes resounding 
in the deep forest added to the intensity. It was the most 
confounding clamor of human voices I had ever heard. I 
have often wondered why the Johnnies did not come down 
and gobble us up, and if our comrades, who were unfor- 
tunately confined in Libby prison, were not disturbed in 
their troubled slumbers with our noises. I remember call- 
ing to one comrade for several seconds; he afterward told 
me he was not more than four feet from me, preparing our 
blankets and trying his utmost to convince me he was not 
a deserter. We at last found ourselves installed and enjoy- 
ed a sound and refreshing sleep. 

At the first gray of the morning, when I awoke, I was 
surprised to see a part of the regiment in line. No one 
said anything about breakfast, and I believe we got none. 
The officers were forming the men in line as fast as they 
could be awakened, not speaking a word above a whisper. 
Our battle flags were uncovered and given to the breeze. 
Lieutenant Van-Dake, pointing to the colors, remarked, 
"That is what you are fighting for!" I thought we must 
be very near the Johnnies and were going to have an in- 
introduction, but we saw no enemy and marched on to 
Spottsylvania. 

The Eighth New York, with other Heavy Artillery 
regiments, arrived at Spottsylvania under command of 
General R. 0. Tyler. It was called the Artillery Division 



40 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

and was halted near the right of the line and in rear of 
the moving army. 

The Eighth New York was marched and counter- 
marched, held in reserve, went into camp for a few min- 
utes, then marched again ; thus continually maneuvering, as 
if sparring for trouble. Finally we went into camp where 
we remained over a night, in the edge of a heavy piece of 
timber that immediately opened into a large clearing with 
standing timber on three sides. Near us was a building,— 
I thought at that time a court house,— a wooden structure, 
which appeared to me to be about forty feet wide and 
about sixty feet long. It was one story high, with square 
front, clap-boarded outside, unpainted, and owing to the 
dense growth of timber about it, was visible only a short 
distance from a front view. 

General Grant had ordered a flank movement to the 
left, to the North Anna River, for the supposed purpose of 
getting in the rear of General Lee or forcing him to an 
open field fight. 

The morning after our going into camp our troops on 
the right began moving past us to the left; tramp, tramp, 
tramp, the boys came marching by until late in the after- 
noon, when it seemed all had gone and our regiment was 
left in quietness and solitude. But quietness was not long- 
lived in those days; we soon heard firing on the right, 
where our troops had so recently been. We could not hear 
musketry, but the Artillery firing was grand. The first 
report burst upon us like a thunderbolt from a clear sky; 



NUGGETS OF BXPERIBNCB 41 

the firing increased with great rapidity and grew louder 
every moment, until we could hear the continuous booming 
of the cannon of many batteries. 

As I stood on the open ground, I could see the smoke 
from the guns rising above the hills and tree tops between 
us and the field of action. The roar of cannon was loud 
and incessant, and it seemed all the elements of Heaven and 
earth were in conflict. The ever-watchful Lee had evi- 
dently in some way obtained information of General 
Grant's movements to the left, and ordered General Ewell 
with his corps to make a strong demonstration on our ex- 
treme right and rear. Ewell had carried out the instruc- 
tions of his chief. Crossing the Ny Eiver above our right, 
he captured the road leading out from Fredericksburg on 
which our supply trains were moving, and charged our 
weakened line. 

I do not know how long we stood looking toward the 
roaring batteries ; perhaps not three minutes, but I remem- 
ber I felt as if I would like to be near enough to see what 
they were doing. I was soon to be allowed that privilege, 
for while we were still gazing towards the field of conflict, 
a comrade remarked, "A messenger comes!" 

At that moment a gray horse with a rider appeared, 
but far away, and could be seen only at intervals, as if ris- 
ing to the summit of a hill, then descending towards the 
valley, but steadily galloping towards us. Now we saw 
him, now he was lost to our sight; once more he was on 
the hilltop; again he descended to the valley; and now he 
4 



42 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

again rose to view, now descending to the open field. He 
is nearer. We can see him more clearly and watch him 
nobly holding his pace, straining every muscle to fill his 
mission. At last, with drooping head, extended nostrils 
and reeking sides, the gallant steed is halted at our regi- 
mental headquarters; the voice of the noble Porter, clear 
on the soft Southern air, commands, "Fall in! Forward! 
Double quick! IMkrch!" 

The boys, (for such we were, I being but eighteen 
years of age, and some of us yet younger), were eager for 
the send away. I can justly say I never ran a longer or a 
better race. There were no spectators in a grand stand 
to witness the contest ; there was no recall ; we were off 
with the first word. And the brave boys who were stub- 
bornly contesting the field at the mouth of the enemy's 
guns, and against superior numbers, were our timers. It 
was a two-mile dash, a run from start to finish. Many 
of the heavy men, unable to endure the hardship, fell by 
the wayside. Talk about Star Pointer, Dan Patch and 
the great Cresceus will all do very well for the sports in 
these peaceful times, but those were days when a nation's 
life depended upon speed. 

Field ser\'iees were new to us and we were nearly all 
laden to equal the little Spanish pack burro of the West- 
ern mountains. It was a common occurrence with new men 
in the field to want to carry everything that had been sent 
them from home, and in our case it seemed impossible to 
understand otherwise until taught by actual experience. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 43 

Here let us pause a few moments and see this army 
of men, each carrying a Springfield musket, belts, car- 
tridge box with forty rounds of ammunition, haversack 
with the amount of rations necessary and usually carried 
in the enemy's country, blanket, shelter tent, canteen with 
water (when we could get it), a well filled Imapsack,— in 
all, weighing from sixty to eighty-five pounds, running over 
hills, through swamp and wilderness, to get to a fight ! 

As we ran and neared the enemy, we east our heavj'' 
knapsacks in a pile and one comrade was left to guard 
them. We ran onto the field a short time before sundown, 
immediately swinging into line, charged the enemy, and lis 
was forced to a hasty retreat. With darkness the fight 
ceased and all was quiet. And with the exception of an 
occasional musket shot on the outer picket post, or the 
shrill whistle of the whippoorwill, the night was still as 
death itself. We slept on our arms in line through the 
night. 

♦Personal Memoirs of General Grant, Vol. 11, Page 239: 
" Lee, probably suspecting some move on my part and seeing 
our right entirely abandoned, moved Eiwell's corps about five 
o'clock in the afternoon, with Early's as a reserve, to attack us 
in that quarter. Tyler had come up from Fredericksburg and 
had been halted on the road to the right of our line near Kitch- 
ing's brigade of Warren's troops. Tyler received the attack 
with his raw troops, and they maintained their position until re- 
inforced in a manner worthy of veterans. 

Hancock was in a position to re-inforce speedily and was the 
soldier to do it without waiting to make disposition. Burney was 



44 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

thrown to Tyler's right and Crawford to his left, with Gibbon 
as a reserve, and Ewell was whirled back speedily and with 
heavy loss." 

In the morning reconnoissances were made; the bat- 
teries threw shells into the woods at different points, with 
no response from the enemy. Our dead were buried and 
we marched back leisurely over the ground we had so hur- 
riedly traversed but a few hours before. Some of us did 
not return, for we had experienced the genuineness of the 
fortunes of war, and we had learned lessons never to be 
forgotten; we certainly did not forget them during our 
soldiering days. First, self preservation; second, not to 
burden ourselves with luxuries so convenient while in gar- 
rison. So knapsacks with extra clothing were thrown 
away by the carload; some did not save a single blanket. 
It was a grand picnic for the veterans, hardened to field 
service, who, with smile and jest selected such articles from 
the discarded goods as best suited their fancy. The mus- 
ket, cartridge box, haversack and canteen were even too 
great a burden for the tired and footsore soldiers, unaccus- 
tomed to field service, on their long and hasty marches 
through the suffocating dust and hot Southern sun. 

John Daird Wilson, in his history of the " Great Civil War " 
says: " The National right flank was guarded by a body of foot 
artillerists who had just come up from the defenses of Washing- 
ton and who had never before been in battle; they were under 
the command of Gen. R. O. Tyler. Swell's attack was promptly 
met. The Artillerists, ignorant of the Indian devices to which 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 45 

the veterans were accustomed to resort while fighting in the 
woods, fearlessly exposed themselves, firing furiously and ul- 
timately compelling the enemy to fall back from the road and 
into the woods beyond. Tyler's men suffered severely, but the 
honors of repulsing the enemy belong to them." 

Horace Greeley's American Conflict, Vol. 11, page 573: 

" Lee threw forward Ewell against our weakened right held 
by Tyler's division of foot artillerists recently drawn from the 
defenses of Washington, by whom he was gallantly repulsed and 
driven off, though not without severe loss on our side. The 
reckless fighting of the Artillerists — mainly veterans in service 
but new to the field — excited general admiration, but cost 
blood." 



CHAPTER IV 



TO THE NORTH ANNA RIVER— CROSSING THE BRIDGE UNDER 
FIRE— THE TURN TO THE LEFT- THE CHICKAHOMINY AND 
BATTLE OP COLD HARBOR— CAPTAIN LUDDEN, A PRISONER 
THREE MINUTES— TRIBUTE TO COLONEL PORTER— SER- 
GEANT JOSEPH SHAW. 

Our regiment was now jointed to the second division 
of the Second Army Corps, and from Spottsylvania we 
turned to the left to participate in the great flank move- 
ment. 

Some historians have it, the country over which the 
National army marched from Spottsylvania to the North 
Anna River was fertile and beautiful; I have no doubt of 
its fertility and it may have been beautiful. According to 
my recollections, our march was a circuitous one, the 
greater part of the way being through underbrush and 
heavy standing timber. The weather was very hot. I re- 
member seeing some of our soldiers on their hands and 
knees crawling on the ground under the thick brush, suf- 
fering with sunstroke. One young lieutenant, sick and un- 
able to keep up with his command, came up sometime in 
the night, crawled under a wagon and died there before 
morning. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCB 47 

When we arrived at the river under the flying shell 
from the Confederate batteries, we marched from one point 
to another as if in search of a fording place, but the banks 
were high and steep, and we received orders to cross on 
the plank bridge (a little further to our right, I think,— 
Tyler's bridge), to the south side, and move forward. Up 
to this time, Captain Ludden had not been with us in the 
field, having been detained as Judge of Court Martial at 
Baltimore, but he now came up and took command of Com- 
pany L. 

Our regiment had already begun to cross the bridge, 
with arms at right shoulder shift. At this place the Con- 
federates had constructed strong works and posted batteries 
on the south bank, commanding the river. Some distance 
to the right of the bridge was a redan, from which, when 
we were fairly on the bridge, the enemy opened fire on us, 
cut our column in two, killing and wounding four men. 
"Trail arms!" was the immediate command, and the regi- 
ment moved on in perfect order. 

On the north bank, at the right of the approach of 
the bridge, the Federals had posted a battery which im- 
mediately opened fire and silenced the Confederate guns, 
and we were troubled with them no more. The regiment 
filed to the left from the bridge, came to a front and 
marched in line up the hill and into the woods. The fight- 
ing continued till dark. We slept on our arms in the 
woods through the night and a very heavy rainfall drenched 
us. 



48 NUGGBTS OP EXPBRIBNCB 

The next morning, recrossing the river, we again 
turned to the left, the objective point being the Pamunkey 
River, a stream formed by the junction of the North and 
South Anna Rivers. We were constantly advancing, cross- 
ing streams and skirmishing, until in the night of June 
first, when we moved to the left upon Cold Harbor, a point 
ten or eleven miles from Richmond and where roads cen- 
tered from Richmond, White-house, Besthesda Church, and 
Old Church. And from there many roads diverged also 
towards different crossings of the Chickahominy. The 
Second Division of Hancock's Cavalry (as the corps was 
called by reason of its agility), was about the last to reach 
Cold Harbor. 

The sun was shining on the morning of the second day 
of June when our regiment arrived and took position on 
the left. We were the rear of the corps. This second day 
of June was occupied in placing troops and making prep- 
arations for an assault on the enemy's works. At night all 
was in readiness. 

On the morning of the third, at the earliest dawn, the 
signal gun boomed forth its warning. Our army was at once 
in motion. A light rain was falling, and through the dim 
light we could see the gray uniforms, the rows of shining 
bayonets, and the enemy serenely waiting and watching our 
movements from behind strong fortifications. 

Swiftly we advanced. The second division of the Sec- 
ond Corps occupied the left, and our regiment (Eighth New 
York Heavy Artillery), was the extreme left of the line. 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 49 

We advanced over a divide or rise of ground. Between 
this high ground and the enemy's works was a swamp in 
which grew brush. The brush in places had been slashed, 
and in other places the tops were woven together, forming 
a network which, with water and mud, we were wading 
through, in places nearly body deep, proved a great ob- 
struction to our advancing army. 

Nearer the enemy's works the swamp grew wider; our 
command became separated. The Company to which I be- 
longed moved at a left oblique into the woods and onto the 
higher ground, where we were immediately engaged with 
the enemy in a musket duel at short range. This was the 
right of General Lee's line and seemed to be strongly 
guarded, but owing to the large standing timber, the thick 
underbrush and their strong earthworks we could not well 
see our opponents. A good deal of the time our firing was 
necessarily at random. There was also thick and heavy 
timber at our left and rear. I feared an attack from that 
quarter more than our enemy in front. I was afterwards 
informed that Sheridan's Cavalry was guarding our left 
rear. 

The morning light was dimmed with the mist when we 
began the advance. In a moment the battle was on and 
raging terrifically. The hour grew more gloomy, the air 
seemed completely filled with screaming, exploding shell 
and shot of all descriptions, and our soldiers were falling 
fast. The army seemed to melt away like a frost in the 
July sun. We were located where we could not advance 



50 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

further, neither could we retreat without exposing the com- 
mand or ascending a rise of ground which would expose us 
to the enemy. 

Captain Ludden had led the Company in the charge, 
and in the present exposed condition ordered us to lie 
down. Lying close to the ground, some of us loading and 
firing, while others passed rails from an old fence which 
chanced to be a few rods in the rear, we placed the rails in 
line in front of us; then, with bayonet, knife or any other 
implement to be had, dug a trench, throwing the earth onto 
the rails as a protection against the enemy's musketry. 

In the afternoon when the firing was more quiet. Cap- 
tain Ludden ventured in front of our little works to see 
what the Johnnies were about. He had gone but a few 
yards into the brush when he discovered them, pointing 
their muskets in his face and claiming him for a prisoner. 
The Captain, not wishing to accept from the generous John- 
nies an invitation to visit the Confederate capital and Libby 
prison, sprang into a clump of underbrush near by, the 
Johnnies sending a volley of musketry after him. Seizing 
the opportunity, he ran into our works, reaching us un- 
injured but in the midst of a shower of bullets. While in 
Chicago, in the fall of 1890, I met Major Ludden, (for- 
merly Captain), and as we were talking of the days of the 
war, and the circumstances at Cold Harbor were mentioned, 
he remarked, * ' On that day I was a prisoner for just three 
minutes. ' ' 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 51 

"We remained in the hot sun, crouched down in the 
little works we had constructed, so close to the enemy as to 
be unable to get to the rear for water or any necessaries of 
life without a volley of musketry after us. We ourselves 
were equally watchful of them. Sharp skirmishing was a 
frequent occurrence on any part of the line, and no man 
could stand erect one single moment without forming a 
target for the enemy's guns. Our army struggled, perse- 
vered and constructed works to water. And here was con- 
ceived the idea of the Zigzag Trenches, through which, 
when complete, we returned to our original line. 

For ten days and nights, in conversational distance, 
the Army of the Potomac confronted the flower of the 
Armies of the Confederacy, protected by its strong barrier. 
Yet our men were cheerful and joked at the enemy's shot 
and shell that passed over them and sped on its way, 
possibly to disturb a chance coffee cooler far in the rear. 

Our regiment suffered severely in this engagement. 
Colonel Porter was killed early in the fight while leading 
the regiment in the charge on the enemy's works. General 
Tyler was wounded and carried from the field. Nearly all 
of the officers of the regiment were killed or wounded. Of 
the four lieutenants of Company L, we had not one— Cap- 
tain Ludden alone was with us. The loss to our regiment 
at the next roll call was reported six hundred and eighty- 
four; later the official report gave it as five hundred and 
five. 



52 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNGB 

Horace Greeley, in his ''Great American Gonflict," 
pays this fitting tribute to Colonel Porter : ' ' Colonel Peter 
A. Porter, of Niagara Falls, (son of General Peter B. Por- 
ter, who served with honor in the war of 1812 and was 
Secretary of War under J. Q. Adams), in the prime of life 
and in the enjoyment of everything calculated to make life 
desirable, volunteered from a sense of duty, saying his 
country had done so much for him that he could not hesi- 
tate to do all in his power for her in her hour of peril. 
When nominated in 1863 as Union Candidate for Secre- 
tary of State, he responded that his neighbors had intrusted 
him with the lives of their sons and he could not leave them 
while the war lasted. He was but one among thousands 
animated by like motives; but none ever volunteered from 
purer impulses or served with more unselfish devotion than 
Peter A. Porter." 

I wish to say at this point that I have kept in memory 
the valuable services rendered on that battlefield by Ser- 
geant Joseph Shaw, of Company L, of the Eighth New 
York Heavy Artillery. It was he who, when others were 
reluctant, posted the pickets on those dark nights, not only 
of our own regiment but also the pickets of other regiments. 
The daring and efficient services bravely performed by him 
in the proximity of the hostile army should have entitled 
him at least to consideration of meritorious service. 

This campaign was one of hardship to us all, but much 
more fatiguing to the Artillery regiments than to the 
"Veterans who were accustomed to field service, by reason of 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 53 

their having so long done garrison duty. The Artillerists 
were totally unaccustomed to marching and outdoor ex- 
posure. Our labors were unceasing; marching, maneuver- 
ing, skirmishing and battling was the order of the day and 
night. It seemed very clear that we were going to fight it 
out on this line if it took many summers. 



CHAPTER V 



IN THE SHADOW OF THE WILDERNESS— THE DAWN— GENERAL 
grant's strategy— SHERMAN AND THE WESTERN BOYS— 
SHERIDAN IN THE SHENANDOAH— HISTORIC MARCH- 
CHARGE THE enemy's WORKS AT PETERSBURG— DEATH OF 
LIEUTENANT COLONEL BATES — CAPTAIN LUDDEN, A PRIS- 
ONER, GOES TO RICHMOND — CAPTAIN LUDDEN's RETURN 
TO THE REGIMENT — COLONELS MURPHY AND MCIVER— 
THE BOYS IN THE BLUB AND THE GRAY. 

At the beginning of my soldier life I had not the 
slightest conception of the magnitude of the war; and as 
we now seemed to be struggling between life and death 
for the supremacy, without perceptible gain, I had no 
thought of the end. No matter where we went, the enemy 
would be found, bristling out before us in his strong forti- 
fications. 

Information was not easily obtained and it seemed to 
me we must go on in this way to the end of time. I was 
deep in the shadow of the wilderness, yet the darkest hour 
was before dawn. "We were continually moving to the left 
and around the enemy's right, each move carrying our 
lines farther South and pressing General Lee's army more 
closely within the last strongholds of the Confederacy. 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 55 

General Grant was drawing his lines around the Rebel 
armies, like the coiling of Time around the human heart, 
Sherman, with his stalwart western boys, was successfully 
preparing the way for his march to the sea; and the dash- 
ing Sheridan, with his troopers, was soon to sweep like a 
cyclone the foe from the Shenandoah Valley and render it 
untenable for the life of a single crow. 

On the night of the 12th of June, we left Cold Harbor 
and started on the famous and historic march for the south 
side of the James River. This gratified one of my greatest 
desires. It was the one opportunity during my time as a 
soldier in the United States service to see the Grand Army 
of the Potomac in motion. 

From the Wilderness to Cold Harbor there was more 
or less skirmishing and fighting. Our movements were 
mostly under cover of heavy timber. We were unable to 
see a large portion of the army at any one time. From Cold 
Harbor to Petersburg we moved over an extensive open 
plain. At one elevated point I looked forward and back 
as far as the eye could reach. I was charmed with delight, 
and gazed intently upon the vibrating movements of that 
living column. It resembled the rippling waters of the 
restless ocean, or the undulated appearance of endless grain 
fields, ripe in the head, in the gentle breezes of summer. I 
regarded this sight as one of the greatest incidents of my 
life. 

On the morning of the 16th of June we were in front 
and south of Petersburg. We had been marching three 



56 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

days and nights. On the fourth night, the 15th of June, we 
were moving through heavy timber, feeling our way to 
Petersburg. We would stop, then march a little and stop a 
few minutes, then march again. I was very tired, and 
with two comrades I left the ranks and went into the woods, 
where we were not disturbed and enjoyed a good night's 
sleep. The regiment moved on about a mile and went into 
camp. We went up early in the morning. On our way we 
discovered a Confederate potato patch which the Yankee 
boys had not yet visited ; the potatoes were Irish, but they 
were raised in America and were fine ones. I helped my- 
self to a good supply, which I carried into camp and with 
them compromised matters with the Captain. 

From the time of the arrival of our regiment in front 
of Petersburg we lay on the south side of a deep ravine, 
in which there was a good deal of dead and fallen timber, 
until late in the afternoon. A line of battle was formed; 
our regiment fell in, marched to the left and formed in line. 
Lieutenant Colonel Bates commanding. 

Immediately in our front the ground which we must 
pass was open, with a gradual descent to a shallow ravine or 
dry run. This was about three hundred yards from us, 
with a bank on the opposite side, a few trees lining its edge, 
and beyond, an old cornfield. Along this ravine, under 
the protection of the trees, the Confederates had posted a 
strong skirmish line, under whose continuous musketry 
fire our battle line was formed. 



NUGGBTS OF EXPBRIBNCB 57 

At six o'clock the signal for the advance was given. 
Captain Ludden, with a smile, stepped in front and led 
the charge. We went on a run, not firing a shot until reach- 
ing the Confederate skirmish line, but swept over the de- 
scending ground like an avalanche. We crossed the ravine 
and gained a position on the cornfield. The Confederates 
fell back behind their strong works and kept up a brisk 
firing for some hours. 

We lay on the ground among the old corn hills, under 
the artillery and musketry fire, until night spread its man- 
tle of darkness over the field. When all was still save the 
picket firing, we began building breastworks. All night the 
men worked with pick and shovel. Not a word was spoken ; 
not a whisper did I hear. When the sun arose next morn- 
ing it shone brightly on the resulting works, a brief protec- 
tion for our heroes, all along the line. 

The casualties in this charge were less numerous than 
in previous engagements. Lieatenant Colonel Bates was 
killed in the advance, being the second regimental com- 
mander the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery had lost 
in the past thirteen days. Some soldiers were killed and 
a few were wounded. 

The following day, June 17th, we again moved for- 
ward, established a line and built new works where we had 
a view of Petersburg's church spires. 

On June 22d, while reconnoitering the enemy's posi- 
tion farther to the left. Captain S. D. Ludden was captured 
and taken to Richmond and conflmed in Libby Prison, from 



58 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

which he escaped twice, and after tramping (as later the 
Major related to me) three hundred and forty miles in 
the enemy's country, concealing himself in the woods and 
brush through the day, depending on the slaves for some- 
thing to eat to keep life in, and to be guided on his way at 
night by them, he succeeded in reaching the Union lines; 
he went home to his people in the State of New York, where 
he yisited a few days, and then returned to the regiment 
for duty September 8th, 1864, the regiment then being 
near Petersburg, 

In the latter part of the summer of 1864, by reason 
of hard service, and our number being greatly reduced, (to 
438), we had no officer left us ranking higher than Captain. 
The responsibilities of our regiment were then entrusted 
to the care of Colonels Murphy and Mclver, who com- 
manded alternately, though I have no recollection of either 
of these Colonels commanding the regiment in battle, but 
we more frequently saw Mclver than Murphy, 

Now, I would not say that Murphy was not an Irish- 
man, but Mclver was a typical son of the Emerald Isle ; he 
was said to have been a schoolmaster somewhere in the State 
of New York before the war, and a Governor's appoint- 
ment to the army. However, there was one distinctive qual- 
ity in his makeup we could safely bet on,— that he alwaya 
maintained a magnificent appetite for the Commissary's 
beverage and we seldom, if ever, saw him without its influ- 
ence ; it was a common occurrence with the boys to express 
a desire to share the Colonel's sickness and medicine. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPHRIBNCB 59 

On one particular occasion lie went with the regiment 
into the forest for the purpose of slashing and felling tim- 
ber to entangle the footsteps of the Johnnies should they 
attempt to come in at our left rear. We had been working 
some hours when we were ordered to discontinue the work 
and return to our guns. When we lined up behind our 
musket stacks it seemed very clear to us, that during our 
absence the Colonel had had a spirited engagement with his 
beloved Commissary Department and the beverage had got 
the better of him. Unsettled in his saddle he appeared be- 
fore us, reeling from side to side of his horse. He com- 
manded: "Now lit yiz fall in! Now lit yiz stand fasht! 
Now don't lit yiz stir! Don't lit yiz break the stacks till 
yiz take arms ! ' ' 

Sometimes the Colonel would be more heavily bur- 
dened than others, and occasionally he would take on a 
hypnotic jag; at such times he would be confined to his 
tent, and his loud and profanely educated voice would fur- 
nish a sufficient entertainment for the entire camp. Later 
the Colonel passed from my sight, and I do not remember 
seeing him in my last days with the regiment. 

The Siege of Petersburg was long and laborious. We 
were ever on the alert, and we cannot forget that our time 
was fully occupied with the many requirements,— strug- 
gling for position, trenching and mining, advancing the 
line, building new works and maning them, with an oc- 
casional excursion to the Wheldon and Southside Railroads. 
Yet, notwithstanding the long and continuous contest about 



6o NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

Petersburg, the determination exhibited in battle and the 
tenaciously held positions, there was presented between the 
battles an inclination to friendliness,— ay, there existed a 
sympathy towards each other never known before in the 
history of the wars, among soldiers of two hostile armies. 
We talked freely back and forth on politics and of the 
aspiring candidates, and the flying of white flags on our 
earthworks became a frequent practice with us. So close 
were the opposing works in those days of long ago, that we 
often enjoyed exchanging visits midway between the lines, 
when friendly salutations were exchanged and good feeling 
manifested. 

"The Yanks gave the Johnnies coffee, 

Which they declared for months they had not seen; 

The Johnnies gave the Yanks tobacco in return, 

And in a brotherly way. 

The boys in the blue and the gray 

Drank from the same canteen." 



Battle of lbatcber'6 IRun 

(BopDton IRoaD) 
©ctober 27tb an& 28tb, 1864 



CHAPTER VI 



LEAVING THE LINE IN FRONT OF PETERSBURG— MY DIFFICUL- 
TIES—THE NEW RECRUIT — ON THE FLANK— CAPTAIN 
LUDDEN ESr COMMAND OF THE REGIMENT— DEATH OF 
LIEUTENANT FELLOWS— OFFICERS ASSEMBLE— REBEL BAT- 
TERY OPENS FIRE ON THE HOUSE— THE BOYS ON HORSE— 
WE CHARGE THE ENEMY— THE REBEL PRISONER— TWO 
BRIGADES TO THE REAR— MEMORIES OF GENERAL GRANT- 
BILLY MCCABE— THE RETROGRADE MARCH— THE WOUNDED 
LIEUTENANT— RETURN TO THE LINE IN FRONT OF PETERS- 
BURG. 

It was my good fortune as a soldier to be a member of 
the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery, but I am not egotis- 
tical enough to think our regiment did the most effective 
(service of all regiments, neither do I think the war would 
not have successfully terminated without us, but I do think 
we had, in every respect, a splendid collection of moral 
young men, who were of good families; that we did our 
duty as well as we could, and averaged fairly well with 
other regiments as volunteer citizen soldiers. 

On the evening of the 26th of October our regiment 
left the line in front of Petersburg and made a forced 
march toward Hatcher's Kun, the object being to join our 



64 NUGGETS OF BXPERIBNCB 

corps, (the Second), and participate in a flank movement 
to the left for the capture of the Southside Railroad, which, 
if successful, would completely block the Confederate com- 
munications with the farther South, and would prevent 
General Lee from sending reinforcements to General Hood, 
whose army was then being driven about promiscuously 
through Georgia by General Sherman. 

I had been stricken with fever, and although I had 
for a number of weeks performed the general routine, and 
my allotted duty with the regiment, I was greatly emaciated 
and seemingly could regain no strength. The fever had 
settled in my limbs, and my legs refused to carry my body. 
When passing over uneven or descending ground with 
necessary accoutrements, I was sure to fall to my knees, 
and my comrades often remarked my awkward appearance. 
So severe were my sufferings on that march, with my weak 
and painful joints, that I found it an agonizing difficulty 
to keep position and pace with the rapidly moving column. 
Had we been compelled to run to avoid capture, I would 
certainly have become a victim of Andersonville, or such- 
like horror, and suffered the fate of many and many a 
Union soldier who perished, inch by inch, under the in- 
human cruelty of the system practiced in the Rebel starving 
corrals, A kindness of Captain Ludden greatly aided me 
through that fatiguing expedition. I had been a close 
friend of Captain Ludden 's from our first meeting. I never 
knew him to use or handle liquor and I was not a liquor 
drinker myself. On this occasion there was procured and 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCE 65 

carried with the Company a canteen of liquid,— which I 
thought was not all water; the medicine was administered 
to me (and one other sick boy) in homeopathic doses; it 
seemed to so strengthen my weakened body as to enable me 
to endure the hardship. 

We hurried along over the narrow roads, hastily cut 
through the timber by the pioneers, and when night fell it 
was very dark in the deep forest. It was late when a small 
clearing was reached, where we were allowed to lie down 
for rest. Oh, how sweet were the sleeps of those vigilant 
and toilsome times ! We were called before light to arise 
and cook coffee before recommencing our march. 

We had with us a new recruit who had recently joined 
the Company. He had never before been on a march with 
us and evidently he had neglected to acquaint himself with 
the short order meal system. Most of us had drank coffee 
and were ready for duty when the order came to fall in line, 
but our new recruit had only begun to gather fuel to cook 
his coffee. The Sergeant called to him to fall in line, when 
the recruit exclaimed, * ' I can 't go this time ! I haven 't had 
a bit of breakfast yet!" This brought a laugh from the 
boys and the recruit got quickly into line. The Company 
was soon in its place, and the regiment was on the move. 

We had not gone more than a quarter of a mile when 
I heard the right of the regiment skirmishing sharply for 
a few moments. The rear companies pressed forward as 
rapidly as possible through the narrow road in the thick 
underbrush, but slightly cut. What the obstruction was I 



66 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

did not learn, but the right of way was secured and the 
regiment moved on. 

We soon passed out of the thick timber onto an opening 
thickly dotted with low pine shrubs. Company L was the 
extreme left of the regiment, and its rear platoon, under 
command of Sergeant Joseph Shaw, was ordered into the 
woods to guard the left flank and I was consigned to respon- 
sibilities of the most advanced picket post. Captain Lud- 
den was assigned to command the regiment during the bat- 
tle, and Company L was under the command of Lieuten- 
ant Darwin Fellows. Fellows was the first Orderly Ser- 
geant of the Company. He was young and possessed fine, 
manly qualities ; always cheerful in his duties, his smiling 
face and genial appearance never failed to bring sunshine 
among his associates. He had been wounded early in the 
campaign of that year and had returned to the regiment for 
duty but a few days before starting on our Hatcher 's Run 
raid, and with this eventful day terminated his soldiering 
on earth. On that bloody field he fought his last battle; 
he passed to the Beyond and joined the silent majority. 

We remained on the flank until near midday, when we 
received orders to call in the pickets and join our com- 
mand, which was soon to take part in a general forward 
movement. After arriving on the battle line we were stand- 
ing awaiting orders, when the officers on horseback, as 
many as ten or twelve in number, assembled for consulta- 
tion near us and in the rear of a small dwelling house. A 
Confederate battery immediately opened fire on the house. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 67 

when the officers were compelled to quickly fly in all direc- 
tions. I think there were no officers hurt; a few soldiers 
and some of our regiment who were near the house were 
killed, and some were wounded, and we all went to the 
ground. Sergeant Ewell, of Company L, had an arm 
severed at the elbow, which resulted in his death a few days 
later. 

Our line of battle was formed athwart the Boydton 
Road. This road was a public highway in time of peace and 
was protected on each side by an old-fashioned rail fence. 
The land at the right and left of the road for some dis- 
tance, and to the Run in our front, was clear. We formed 
in line at the right of the road between the house I have 
mentioned, a small, unpainted house on the left, and a small 
rough looking barn on the right of the road, and about one- 
quarter of a mile from the bridge where the Boydton Road 
crosses the Run, and where the Confederates held their 
works. 

Hatcher's Run is a small stream rising at or near the 
Southside Railroad, and when it is supplied with a sufficient 
amount of water it flows in a southeasterly direction and 
empties into the Rowanty Creek, a tributary of the Nott- 
away. 

While we were lying awaiting orders, the Confederate 
skirmish line advanced and commenced flring on us. With- 
out orders we fired on them. A squadron of cavalry was 
then brought up to hold the skirmishers back, but it ap- 
peared to me they were not anxious to participate in the 



68 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCE 

game. These cavalrymen, for some mysterious cause, 
seemed reluctant to go forward ; though they were once in- 
duced to go out in front of the barn, they could not be got- 
ten into line nor to deploy as skirmishers, and the man who 
seemed to be in command was not more eager to combat 
than were the others. When his men were crowding like 
a flock of scared sheep with wolves on all sides, I heard him 
say to them, "Now, hold the line firm !" He then put spurs 
to his horse and galloped to the rear. One trooper re- 
ceived a slight wound and the entire squadron helped the 
wounded man back behind the lines, and I saw them no 
more. 

My dear Comrades, I have never doubted the bravery 
and good soldierly qualities of those men under the com- 
mand of a gallant and efficient officer, and in noting thesie 
details I would not have one feel that I would censure the 
cavalry. It was an act in the drama, and to me it was an 
amusing incident. So deeply was I absorbed in the maneu- 
vers of those boys on horse, that I sat intently watching 
them, and had forgotten the Rebel skirmishers, until I was 
aroused from my reverie by the flying bullets about us and 
the knowledge of wounds received by two comrades who were 
very near me. I have no inclination to speak disparaging- 
ly of my comrades; I only wish to mention what I saw while 
we were there under fire. I am grateful to the cavalry for 
their unfailing devotion to the cause ; I know that arm did 
a great deal of effective service and much to hasten the end 
of the conflict. 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 69 

When the cavalry left our front, the Confederates had 
advanced within about one hundred yards of us and we 
were ordered to charge them. We moved forward at the 
right of the road, firing as we went. The Confederates 
made a brief stand, but as we drew nearer they ran away 
and left us their works. Some of us crossed over from the 
right to the left of the road and occupied the works at 
the left of the bridge crossing the Run. The remainder of 
the regiment occupied the defenceless line at the right of 
the road. 

When the heat of the charge had abated and we were 
in possession of the Confederate works, I discovered a 
Rebel a short distance in front of us, who evidently had not 
gotten a good send-away with the others, and was left at the 
post. He was hiding behind an old and barkless stump 
of a tree that was so near the color of his dirty gray uniform 
that it was difficult to decide whether he was a man or a 
twin stump. After considering the matter a few moments, 
I raised my Springfield and invited the Johnny into our 
lines,— an invitation he so meekly and politely accepted 
that I came to the conclusion that he was better pleased to 
be a prisoner in the Federal lines than to be a soldier in the 
ranks of the Confederates. 

After turning my prisoner over to the guard to be taken 
to the rear, I engaged iii firing on a Confederate battery 
located in the woods and near the road. It was immediately 
in front of us and was trying to shell us out. Artillery 
and musket firing was again begun and was impetuously 



70 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCB 

kept up, and we were kept on the alert. Rain was falling, 
and the Condeferates were continually making demonstra- 
tions on our front. Four different times they charged us, 
and four different times we sent them hastily back to 
shelter. 

We could hear the constantly running trains on the 
Southside and Wheldon Railways, hurrying forward Con- 
federate troops from Richmond and Petersburg until our 
little army was almost surrounded. The steady roar of 
musketry was now kept up on our right and rear; our left 
rear was a dense forest ; we still had a strong force in our 
front, and the coming result was a conundrum difficult to 
solve. Some brigades were forced to face to the right and 
charge the enemy; while two brigades of noble fellows, 
to whom we were largely indebted for deliverance from 
that eowpen, were compelled to face to the rear and fight, 
as only Americans can, and after a severe and prolonged 
struggle they succeeded in repulsing a large part of Hill's 
corps that had captured a Federal battery, recapturing our 
lost guns, taking a large number of prisoners and several 
Confederate flags, and opening an avenue to the rear. And 
Night was again upon us ! 

*IVIemoirs of Gen. Grant, Vol. II, Pages 586-7. 

" The second corps, followed by two divisions of the Fifth 
Corps, with the cavalry in advance and covering our left flank, 
forced a passage at Hatcher's Run, and moved up the south side 
of it towards the Southside Railroad, until the Second Corps and 
part of the cavalry reached the Boydton Plank Road where it 



V, 






^c. 







BII,LY m'caBE defying THE JOHNNIES. 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 73 

crossed Hatcher's Run. At this point we were six miles distant 
from the Southside Railroad, which I had hoped by this move- 
ment to reach and hold, but finding that we had not reached 
the end of the enemy's fortifications, and no place presenting 
itself for a successful assault by which he might be doubled up 
and shortened, I determined to withdraw within our fortified line. 
Orders were given accordingly. Immediately upon receiving a 
report that General Warren had connected with General Han- 
cock, I returned to my headquarters. Soon after I left, the 
enemy moved out across Hatcher's Run in the gap between 
Generals Hancock and "Warren, which was not closed as re- 
ported, and made a desperate attack on General Hancock's 
right and rear. General Hancock immediately faced his corps 
to meet it, and after a bloody combat drove the enemy within 
his works and withdrew that night to his old position." 

The works we had captured on the Run were a trench 
with earth banked up about three feet high. Late in the 
afternoon, when the enemy had ceased charging our front 
and the fight was raging on our right and rear, Billy Mc- 
Cabe, of the Eighth New York, cooked coffee and declared 
he would sit on the embankment and drink it, and defy 
the Johnnies to hit him. This was an act entirely uncalled 
for and some of us strongly opposed it, but all our re- 
monstrances proved of no avail. He, with tin cup in hand, 
climbed upon the works and there seated himself, with his 
feet hanging down towards the enemy. He was sipping his 
coffee, apparently as unconcerned as if at home in the 
State of New York, enjoying a day with a picnic party. 
The bullets were flying around him, and occasionally some- 



74 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

one would say, "Billy, you had better come in!" but he 
was heedless of all warnings. Later, a bullet passed 
through the sleeve of his blouse, yet he sat unmoved, and 
when he had finished his coffee he leisurely climbed down 
and walked in, unhurt. 

We held our position at the Run until after dark, 
when fire was started on different parts of the field and our 
retrograde march through the thick woods was begun. 
What a march we experienced ! Rain had fallen during 
the latter part of the day and the ground was soft in the 
timber, and badly cut up by the moving cavalry and artil- 
lery that had passed before us. The night was one of the 
darkest of history; nothing could be seen on our road 
through the forest,— not a star in the heavens nor an open- 
ing in the clouds above us. I have thought that night 
would have fairly compared with the description a 
Canadian once gave me of the darkest thing he ever saw, 
which he related in this way : 

"The darkest scene of my life I experienced when I 
was one night in Montreal, a good many years ago. In 
those days there were no street lights of any kind and the 
business places were lighted with tallow candles. It was 
the dark of the moon and there was not a star to be seen ; 
the clouds were low, dark and threatening, and in the dark- 
ness appeared a black man dressed in black, bereft of sight, 
and with a dark lantern. He was searching a dark al- 
ley for a family of black cats." 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 75 

Nevertheless, we wandered on through the woods un- 
til daybreak. The morning sun was bright and the day 
was clear and pleasant, with the dust settled and the at- 
mosphere much improved by the refreshing rain. Late in 
the morning I came up with some soldiers of our regiment 
who were resting with a stretcher at the roadside. Upon 
inquiring the meaning, I was informed that Lieutenant 
George Rector, of Company F, had the day before been 
seriously wounded, and up to that time no ambulance 
could be obtained. Those boys had carried the disabled 
comrade all through that dark night, hoping to place him 
in a doctor's care, and they were well-nigh exhausted. 
Lieutenants E, K. Sage, George Freelove and one other 
comrade, all of Company L, volunteered, and assisted 
Company F's boys, and they carried the Lieutenant sev- 
eral miles further, when a conveyance was secured to take 
him to the hospital. 

On the night of the 29th of October we were again 
back on the line in front of Petersburg. 



CHAPTER VII 



Some of the Reasons Why the Comrades are Clinging Together 

Today. 

Thirty-nine years have come and gone since the date 
that appears at the head of this narrative, and yet it seems 
not long ago when we were engulfed in the depths of a 
cruel Civil "War, and the loyal men all over the land were 
associated together in arms for the preservation of the life 
and integrity of our country. We hope those days may 
never come again. They are long past. But the occur- 
rences are still retained in the memory of the surviving 
participants; and to me, even in these late days, there is 
no literature more interesting and entertaining, though 
there are many sad features to look upon, than the reminis- 
cences of the truly war-experienced comrades of the stormy 
days of the sixties. On the minds of those tried veterans 
are indelibly stamped the sufferings and privations under- 
gone for love of country,— their true and unfailing affec- 
tion for Freedom and Union. 

While there were -some amusements in camp life, of 
which we knew but little in the last year of the war, there 
were the experiences of all kinds of weather ; the hardships 
and exposures of the long, hurried marches through the 



NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCB 77 

rain, snow and mud, or the broiling sun and stifling dust; 
the vigilant and sleepless nights; and we will say nothing 
of meeting our opponents, and the heroic and chivalrous 
deeds performed on the many battlefields; all of which 
are realized and thoroughly understood only by the war- 
experienced veterans. How their old blood runs young 
again and their dim eyes grow bright as they relate their 
adventurous experiences to each other and mentally fight 
over anew the battles of long gone days! 

These are some of the reasons why the comrades who 
fought in that bloody war are clinging together today, and 
why they like to meet at the Post, and why they enjoy 
attending the annual Encampment. There they meet their 
old and grizzled-haired comrades, who, when but boys long 
years ago, had shared their fortunes in war, and had stood 
by them in the fight amid the storms of raking shot and 
shell, and together they followed "Old Glory's" stream- 
ing colors into the gaping jaws of Hell! 

Those are the heroes who protected our country's flag 
and bore it in triumph from many a 'battlefield, crimson 
and gory, and whose valor saved the Nation from shame 
and disgrace, and placed it in safety and honor, on its il- 
lustrious pedestal of glory! 




Eighth New York Heavy Artillery 

(129th Infantry) 

Volunteers 

OFFICIAL REPORTS 

COMPILED FROM THE SERIES OF VOLUMES OFFICIAL RECORDS 

OF THE 

UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES 

WAR OF THE REBELLION 



Published Under the Directions of the 

HON. DANIEL S. LAMONT. 

Secretary of War, 

1893. 



CHAPTER VIII 



Albany, N. Y., Aug. 22iid, 1862. 
Hon, E. M. Stanton, Secy, of War. 

Sir: 

Will the War Dept. turn over to me, for immediate 

issue, 10,000 Springfield rifled muskets with accoutrements? 
If this is done I will endeavor to obtain the consent of 
our State Comptroller to issue to our troops an equal num- 
ber of Enfield, caliber .58, provided the Government will 
immediately reimburse the State cost and charges therefor. 
We have no infantry accoutrements; those offered to me 
by Captain Crispin are not adapted to our arms. 

The 111th (Auburn) Col. Segoine, passed here this 
morning. The 117th (Rome) Col. Pearce, is just leaving 
the Albany dock. The 120th (Kingston) Col. Sharp, and 
129th (Lockport) Col. Porter, both leave camp tomorrow, 
the former via New York, the latter via Elmira. Others 
will follow as fast as railroad can transfer them. 

E. D. Morgan. 

Albany, N. Y., Aug. 23, '62. 
Hon, Edwin M. Stanton, Secy, of War: 

The 117th Reg't. Col. Pearce, passed this city last 
evening en route for Washington. The 129th regiment 



82 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCE 

left Loekport for Washington, via Elmira, at 2 P. M. to- 
day. 

Thos. Hillhouse, Adjt. General. 

The One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment, New 
York Volunteer Infantry, Col. Peter A. Porter, Lieut. Col. 
W. W. Bates, arrived at Baltimore, Md., August, 1862 ; was 
transformed into Artillery December, 1862, and was after- 
wards known as the Eighth Regiment, New York Volun- 
teer Heavy Artillery. 

It was brigaded January 31st, 1863, with Eighth 
Army Corps, headquarters Cockeyville. Forts, Federal 
Hill, McHenry and Marshall and York, Pennsylvania. 
Department of Baltimore, defenses of Washington, D. C. 

EIGHTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY JOINS SECOND ARMY 
CORPS AT SPOTTSYLVANIA. 

May 17th, 1864, the Eighth New York Heavy Artil- 
lery joined the Second Division, Second Army Corps. May 
19th, by special order No. 139, Tyler's Division, consisting 
of the First Maine, First Massachusetts, Second, Seventh 
and Eighth Regiments New York Heavy Artillery, and 
Thirty-sixth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, was assigned 
to the second Army Corps. 

May 29th the Corcoran Legion and Eighth New York 
Heavy Artillery were formed into a Fourth Brigade of the 
Second Division, Second Army Corps, and later the Eighth 
New York Heavy Artillery joined the Second Brigade of 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCB 83 

the Second Division. With this command it participated in 
the following battles: 

Spottsylvania, May 19th; North Anna River, May 
23d and 24th ; Tolopotomy, May 28th, 29th, 30th, and June 
1st; Cold Harbor, June 2d to 12th; Petersburg, (charge,) 
June 16th; Siege of Petersburg; Jerusalem Road, June 
22d, 23d and 24th; Deep-bottom, July 28th and 29th; 
Strawberry Plains, August 14th and 15th; Deep-bottom, 
August 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th; Ream Station, August 
25th; Hatcher's Run, (Boydton Road,) October 27th and 
28th; with numerous skirmishes and engagements of less 
importance. 

OFFICIAL REPORT OF MAJOR GEN. JOHN GIBSON, COM'd 2d DI- 
VISION, 2nd army CORPS. 
THE BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR. 

May 27th left North Anna for Pamunkey River ; cross- 
ed next day, near Hanover. Took position on the left. On 
the 30th took position on Tolopotmy Creek, driving the 
enemy's skirmishers; nest day advanced. Constant skir- 
mishing and cannonading was going on in our front until 
the night of the first of June, when the division was with- 
drawn and reached Cold Harbor the next morning at six 
o'clock. Took position on left of Sixth Corps. The loss 
to the Division in the assault was sixty-five officers and 1032 
men killed and wounded. The gallant Col. Porter, Eighth 
New York Heavy Artillery, fell only a few yards from the 



84 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIENCB 

enemy's works, surrounded by the dead of his regiment, 
which, although new to the work, fought like veterans. 

From the third to the twelfth the Division, in perfect- 
ing position and pushing forward works toward the enemy, 
was constantly under fire both cannon and musketry, day and 
night, losing some 280 officers and men killed and wounded. 
During these twelve days the labors and military duty of 
the Division were of the hardest kind and performed under 
the most disadvantageous circumstances, confined for ten 
days in narrow trenches with no water to wash with and 
none to drink except that obtained at the risk of losing life ; 
unable to obey a call of nature or to stand erect without 
forming target for hostile bullets, and subject to the heat 
and dust of midsummer which soon produced sickness and 
vermin, the position was indeed a trying one, but all bore 
it cheerfully and contentedly, constructed covered ways 
down to the water and to the rear and joked at the hostile 
bullets as they whistled over their heads to find, perhaps, 
a less protected target far in the rear of the lines. I re- 
gard this as having been the most trying period of this 
most trying campaign. 

To give some idea in regard to the losses and services 
of the Division during this eventful campaign, it becomes 
necessary to refer to certain facts. 

The Division left camp May 3d, with three brigades, 
numbering in the aggregate 6,799. At Spottsylvania Court- 
house, May 16th, it was joined by the Corcoran Legion, 
1,521, and the Thirty-sixth Wisconsin, Col. F. A. Haskell, 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 85 

765 ; on the next day by the Eighth New York Heavy Ar- 
tillery, Col. Peter A. Porter, 1,654, and during the first 
two weeks in June was further increased by 323; total, 
11,062. 

Its losses up to July 30th were: Killed, 77 officers 
and 971 men; total, 1,048. Wounded, 202 officers and 
3,825 men; total, 5,075, or forty-six per cent, of the whole 
strength in killed and wounded alone. The Brigades have 
had seventeen different commanders, of whom three have 
been killed and six wounded. Of the 279 officers killed 
and wounded, forty were regimental commanders. These 
facts serve to demonstrate the wear and tear of the Divi- 
sion. 

******** 

REPORT OF MAJOR ERASTUS M, SPAULDING, COMMANDING 

EIGHTH NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY, JUNE 16tH-29tH. 

CHARGE ON PETERSBURG. 

Charged enemy's works June 16th; advanced within 
fifty yards of the works, held that position and intrenched 
during the night. On the morning of June twenty-second, 
took position near Jerusalem Plank Road, remained there 
until about four p. m. under fire of a rebel batteiy. About 
five p. m. charged and attempted to retake the lost works; 
advanced to within a few yards of the works and held 
position there until dark and intrenched in the night under 
severe picket fire. On the morning of the twenty-third 
advanced and occupied the works which the enemy had 
abandoned; evening of the twenty-third, withdrew a mile; 



86 NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCU 

threw up intrencliments until about ten p. m., when we 
again advanced to occupy our second line of intrench- 
ments. Twenty-fifth, removed to the left to occupy front 
line, which we did until three p. m. of the twenty-seventh, 
then marched to Deep Bottom. At nine p. m. of the twen- 
ty-ninth, returned to position before Petersburg. 

BATTLE OP REAM STATION. 

In regard to the battle of Ream Station and the mis- 
fortune that befell the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery 
on that eventful August day, (25th), 1864, I know no 
words more fitting or explanatory than those contained 
in the following official reports of the different officers 
who were in command: 

REAM STATION— REPORT OF COL, MURPHY. 

Headquarters 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 
2nd Army Corps. 

The 155th and 117th New York Vols, being engaged 
with the enemy on the right, the rest of the command still 
occupied the rifle pits. Myself having been to the right, 
they were moved to the left. While so situated they had 
to cross the rifle pits as many as four times, being forced 
to do so by the enemy's fire which at one time would come 
from the rear and then change again to the front. The 
Brigade remained in this position until the advance on our 
front and flank made the capture of the greater part of the 
command very probable if it had not retired, which was 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 87 

executed in any way but the best order. The Eighth New 
York Heavy Artillery on its right had a hand to hand fight 
with the enemy, losing their colors after retaking them 
from the enemy. Col. Mathew Murphy, 

Com'd. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps. 

Ream Station: Headquarters, 2nd Division, 
2nd Army Corps, Near Petersburg, Va. Aug. 30th, 1864. 
The enemy broke through Gen'l Miles' line, his fire 
taking my line in reverse. I shifted my men to the op- 
posite side of the parapet; soon after the enemy attacked 
my line, the men again shifted to the inside of the parapet. 
Besides the fire from the front they were subjected to a 
heavy artillery and musketry fire from the right flank 
where the enemy turned our own guns upon us. The men 
soon gave way in great confusion and gave up the breast- 
works. ******* 

Maj. Gen. John Gibbon, 
Com'd. 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps. 

Gen'l Order No. 63. 
Headquarters, 2nd Div., 2nd Army Corps. Aug. 30, 1864. 
The following named regiments having lost their regi- 
mental colors in action, are hereby deprived of the right 
to carry colors until by their conduct in battle they show 
themselves competent to protect them; Eighth New York 
Heavy Artillery, 164 New York Volunteers, 36 Wisconsin 
Volunteers. Maj. Gen. John Gibbon, 

Commanding Second Division. 



88 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

LETTER OF MAJOR GEN. HANCOCK 

Headquarters, 2nd Corps, 
Lieut. Col. T. S. Bowers, Sept. 28, 1864. 

Asst. Adj. Gen. 
Colonel : 

I have the honor to solicit your attention to the in- 
closed copy of an order published by Major General Gib- 
bon on the 30th ultimo, with my indorsement thereon, and 
to the printed orders of the Major General commanding 
the Army of the Potomac, confirming and approving Gen- 
eral Gibbon's order. 

It will be seen that General Gibbon deprived three regi- 
ments of his Division of the privilege of bearing colors 
(they having lost their colors at the battle of Ream Sta- 
tion, August 25th) ; that I approved of the principle, but 
requested that if it was adopted the rule might be made 
general, and affect other corps as well as my own; and, 
finally, that General Meade overruled my suggestion and 
singled these regiments,— the Eighth New York Heavy Ar- 
tillery, One Hundred and Sixty-fourth New York Volun- 
teers, and Thirty-sixth Wisconsin Volunteers,— to be pub- 
lished to the Army as having rendered themselves unworthy 
to carry colors : this without regard to the fact that in the 
same action other regiments of my command lost colors, 
and that but a few days before several regiments of an- 
other corps had met with the same misfortune. 

Under the circumstances, I respectfully submit that 
these regiments have been proceeded against with unneces- 



NUGGETS OF BXPERIBNCE 89 

sary severity and a slur cast upon the corps which I have 
the honor to command, which, in view of the past, might 
well be omitted. 

It is, perhaps, known to you that this Corps never 
lost a gun nor a color previous to this campaign, though 
oftener and more desperately engaged than any other 
corps in this Army, or perhaps any other in the country. 
I have not the means of knowing the number of guns or 
colors captured, but I saw myself nine in the hands of one 
Division at Antietam, and the official reports show that 
thirty-four fell into the hands of the corps at Gettysburg. 
Before the opening of this campaign it had at least cap- 
tured over half a hundred colors from the enemy, and 
never yielded one, though at a cost of 25,000 casualties. 
During the campaign you can judge how well the Corps 
has performed its part. It has captured more guns and 
colors than all the Army combined. Its reverses have not 
been many, and they began only when the Corps had dis- 
solved to a remnant of its former strength; after it had 
lost 25 Brigade Commanders and over 125 Regimental 
Commanders, and over 20,000 men. 

I submit that with the record of this Corps, that it 
is the highest degree unjust by a retrospective order to 
publish a part of it as unworthy to bear colors. It is not 
necessary to speak more particularly as to the injustice 
done to these regiments. The principle discussed covers 
their case. I may say, however, that these regiments first 
saw service in the field after the battle of Spottsylvania. 

8 



90 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

At Cold Harbor the Colonel of the Thirty-sixth Wiscon- 
sin, as gallant a soldier as ever lived, fell dead on the field, 
as did the Colonel of the Eighth New York Heavy Artil- 
lery. The Colonel of the One Hundred and Sixty- fourth 
New York fell mortally wounded beside his flag on the 
breastAvorks of the enemy. These regiments have since that 
time suffered severely. One of them, at least, having lost 
two commanding officers. 

I respectfully request that their colors may be restored 
to them. They are entitled to the same privilege as other 
regiments,— that is, the right to strive to avoid the penal- 
ties of General Order No. 37, current series, headquarters 
Army of the Potomac. 

I am, Colonel, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

Winf'd S. Hancock, 
Maj. General of Volunteers. 

Hatcher's Run, or Boydton Road. 

Operations, October 27th and 28th, 1864. 

REPORT OF BRIG. GEN'l EGAN. 

The result of these operations are that my command 
has captured prisoners, captured one and recaptured two 
guns; captured three colors and many commissioned offi- 
cers, and, by the admission of the enemy, killed a Rebel 
gen'l officer. I beg to mention the Thirty-six Wisconsin, 
Eighth New York Heavy Artillery and One Hundred and 



NUGGETS OF EXPBRIENCB 91 

Sixty-Fourth New York Volunteers. No troops could have 

done better. 

Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Egan, 

Com'd Second Division. 

REPORT OF COL. JAMES WILLETT, COM 'd. 2nD BRIGADE, 2nD 

DIV., 2nd ARMY CORPS. 
Sir: 

Since making my report of the part taken by the Sec- 
ond Brigade, 2nd Div,, 2nd Army Corps, in the operations 
of the twenty-seventh instant, I have learned the follow- 
iDg additional particulars which I desire to submit, viz: 

Captain T. J. Burk, 164 New York Volunteers, reports 
as follows: That after the 2nd Brig, had occupied the hill 
on Berger's farm, and the 3rd Brig, had united on the 
right, he saw the line advancing, and believing it to be 
the whole line, he also moved forward upon the left of the 
3rd Brig, and entering the woods, soon found himself, 
with ten men of his Company, in rear of the enemy's 
works, who were hastily evacuating the same, and captured 
one twelve-pounder gun and one small caisson, which, be- 
ing unable to remove, they broke off the axles of the gun 
carriage, and threw the gun into the stream, which he 
called Hatcher's Creek; that they drew off the caisson and 
afterwards reported the capture to Brig. Gen. Egan, 
Com'd. 2nd Div., 2nd Corps. This is a part of the command 
that is deprived of carrying colors. 

Col. James Willett, 
Com'd. 2nd Brig., 2nd Div., 2nd Army Corps. 



92 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

REPORT OF THOMAS A. SMITH, BRIG. GEN% COM 'd. 3rD BRI- 
GADE, 2nd div., 2nd army corps. 

Hatcher's Run, on the left, Oct. 27 and 28, 1864. 
It is dun to the officers and men of the Eighth New 
York Heavy Artillery, and One Hundred and Sixty- 
fourth New York Volunteers, to mention their unexcep- 
tionable conduct and their anxiety to perform duty. 

Thomas A. Smith, Brig. Gen'l. 

Gen'l. Order No. 41. 
Hdqrs. Army of the Potomac, Nov. 7th, 1864. 
The Eighth New York Heavy Artillery, One Hundred 
and Sixty-fourth New York Volunteers, Thirty-six Wis- 
consin Volunteers, having been reported to the Maj. Gen'l 
Commanding as having behaved witli distinguished brav- 
ery during the engagement of Oct. 27th, 1864, on Hatcher's 
Run, he takes pleasure in restoring to those gallant regi- 
ments the right to carry colors, of which they were de- 
prived by his Gen'l Order No. 37, of Sept. 23rd, 1864. 
********* 

By Command of Major General Meade, 

S. Williams, Asst. Adjt. Gen'l. 




America's Heroes of Freedom 



TRIBUTE TO THE VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR, AS READ 
BY THE AUTHOR. AT THE ANNUAL PICNIC 

OF THE VETERANS 

AND WOMEN'S RELIEF CORPS ASSOCIATION 

HELD AT URBITA SPRINGS. 

CALIFORNIA. 



OCTOBER 16th 

1902 



CHAPTER IX 



TWO SCORE YEARS — LEE AND THE TWO JOHNSONS— SENATORS 
AND REPRESENTATIVES — BRAVE MEN WEPT — SEIZED PORTS 
AND ARSENALS— GRANT AND SHERMAN— LOGAN 's EN- 
COURAGEMENT TO THE GOVERNMENT— THE PRESIDENT'S 
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS— BATTLE OF BULL RUN— INCREASE 
OF THE ARMY TO FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND— FOUR LONG 
YEARS — THE ENEMIES ' COUNTRY— ALL THE SAME GNAW- 
ED HARD-TACK— AN ARMY OF PATRIOTS — OUR COUNTRY 
COULD NOT BE DIVIDED — INVINCIBLE ARMY— GATHERING 
OP THE VETERANS — TIES THAT BIND MEN MOST CLOSELY 
TO EACH OTHER — THE FALLEN COMRADES— AMERICA WE 
LOVE THY NAME. 

Comrades, veterans and heroes of the stormy days of 
the Rebellion: I am unable adequately to express the 
gratitude I feel for the pleasure I have enjoyed on the 
many occasions that I have been permitted to meet with 
you in the different annual reunions and other social 
gatherings. Many years have passed since we were soldier 
boys; but I assure you that during all those years I have 
kept a sacred, affectionate remembrance of my associates 
in arms, and all seem to grow nearer and dearer to me 
with each succeeding year. 



96 NUGGETS OF BXPERIBNCE 

The time has now arrived when we can look back two- 
score years to the breaking out of the war. To us the time 
seems short; but a generation has grown up since then, 
and to that later generation those times seem unnatural 
and unreal. They were real to those who lived in them, 
who loved their country and feared for its safety. Could 
there be a doubt of reality when such men as Robert E, 
Lee, who was chief of Scott's staff in Mexico, and who 
was considered the most prominent officer in the United 
States service, and the two Johnsons, Albert S. and Joseph 
E., left the Union and united their fortunes with Seces- 
sion; when such war-hardened veterans as General Scott 
wept bitter tears for the country's peril; when Senators 
and Representatives were leaving their seats, and others 
remaining only to aid rebellion and defeat the Government ; 
when men looked in each other's faces and knew not who 
was friend and who was foe? 

Strong and brave men wept and knew not which way 
to turn, hoping and praying that some chance would yet 
aveit war. But it came, and those with military educa- 
tion and all others had to choose ; some believing their for- 
tune lay with the Southern cause, while others remained 
loyal to the Union. 

The Southerners having early seized the national forts 
and arsenals and carried their contents to the South, the 
Government was totally without implements of war. Many 
officers who had received the benefit of the Military Acad- 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 97 

emy at West Point at the expense of the United States, and 
had sworn to support the national authority, had left the 
army and gone to the South. The army was very insuffi- 
cient, numbering about fifteen thousand men of all arms. 
General Scott was feeble with years, and there having been 
no active service other than Indian chasing on the front- 
iers since the Mexican troubles, it was not known who 
among the Union sympathizers was competent to command 
an army if we had one, and the country was on the verge 
of ruin. 

But in those gloomy days we were refreshed to hear 
that Sherman had announced to the State of Louisiana 
that he could not be Math it in rebellion, and it was good 
and noble of Grant at Galena to come out and say, "I am 
for the old flag." Grant was engaged in the leather trade 
in an insignificant little river town in Illinois, and Sher- 
man was president of a military academy in Louisiana, 
and little was known to the country of either of the two 
men, as they had not been connected with the army for 
some years. But both had received a military education 
at West Point, and their declaration for the Union was a 
spark of hope for the loyal people of the North, who were 
just beginning to awaken from their torpor in regard to 
the tempest that was gathering in the South, and to look 
about for leaders. A generation had grown up unused to 
war, and peacefully following their vocations in pursuit 
of an honest livelihood they could not realize that war was 



98 NUGGBTS Of EXPERIENCE 

imminent, until the mouths of the belching rebel batteries 
at Charleston were opened upon the garrison in Fort Sum- 
ter. 

Later, John A. Logan, a very brilliant and able young 
lawyer and statesman, who commanded the minds of the 
people of a large portion of the State of Illinois, and who 
had not yet expressed his sentiments in regard to the dif- 
ferences; but seemed inclined to favor the Southern cause, 
gave great relief and encouragement to the Government, by 
delivering a speech before the adjournment of the special 
session of Congress, convened by President Lincoln, July 4, 
1861, in which he proclaimed his undying loyalty and de- 
votion to the Union. 

On the 15th of April, 1861, the day after the fall of 
Fort Sumter, the President called for seventy-five thou- 
sand volunteers for three months, to suppress an armed re- 
bellion. On May 15th of the same year the first call waa 
made for volunteers for three years' service. This first 
call was for one hundred and fifty thousand men; and on 
July 22nd, the day after the battle of Bull Run, the Presi- 
dent was authorized to increase the army to five hundred 
thousand, volunteers to be enrolled for the period of three 
years or during the war. Each call for volunteers was 
promptly answered, quotas were filled without hesitation, 
recruiting continued in the year 1862, and an army was 
organized to put down a thoroughly established and deter- 
mined rebellion. 



NUGGETS OF EXPBRIBNCB 99 

For four long years the men of that army struggled 
and persevered through unprecedented disadvantages in a 
civil war that has no equal in the history of nations. In 
an enemy's country where officers and men alike were en- 
tirely unacquainted, where the inhabitants were hostile to 
them but friendly to the enemy, through the darkness of 
night, and the dust, heat and glare of the day, they march- 
ed through fog a,nd mire, forests and tangled underbrush, 
across trackless fields, into burning woods suffocating with 
smoke, waded through noisome swamps and swam and 
forded rivers. 

They felled forests and built bridges and corduroy 
roads, and toiled on forced marches with insufficient food. 
They suffered long periods without rest or sleep. Often 
the enemy's lines were within one hundred yards of their 
own. They were alert and watchful, constantly on the 
lookout for surprises, their nerves always strung to a high 
tension. 

Together they bore the burden day after day, night 
after night and months and years, through wet and dry 
weather, through heat and cold. They shared the same 
bed on the cold wet ground in drenching rains, in frost 
and snow, often without a single blanket, all in the so- 
called ''Sunny South." 

Often they had not time to cook their food; but all 
the same they gnawed on the almost petrified hard-tack, 
cooked when they could or tried to cook, the reluctant beef, 



loo NUGGETS OF BXPBRIEKCB 

which was subdued only by penetrating with a sharpened 
stick and holding in the blaze of a pitch-pine fire till it 
was black with smoke and unfit to eat, and drank water 
from the fetid ponds through which many herds of army 
beef cattle had waded and appeased their thirst. 

They complained a little at times, but usually ac- 
cepted with grace whatever was provided for them, and 
were at all times ready to meet the foe and stand before 
the death-dealing implements of war, and face the storm 
of battle, until the enemy was driven behind his last strong 
fortifications, and finally forced to surrender. 

None but the soldier knows how severely the fatigue 
of such campaigns affects the spirit, the valor and the en- 
durance of men and wears out the indispensable vital 
forces. 

In all time to come, with pride the grateful people 
of a nobly preserved Republic can look bock upon that 
body of representative soldiers as an army of patriots, 
coming from many different States and Territories, who 
left their firesides, their homes and all that was dear to 
them, sacrificed all future prospects, went forth at their 
country's call to battle for the integrity of the nation, to 
maintain the union of States, that our America should not 
sink into infamy, or be divided into two angry sections 
to remain hostile to the end of time. Our country could 
not be divided, and if there must be fighting they chose 
to fight it out then and not bequeath it to their children. 



NUGGETS OF EXPERIBNCB loi 

Of the men who filled the ranks and made the invincible 
army when the flag was in danger, who can say who was 
shiefest? All were heroes, the bravest of the brave. 

I regard it as a privilege to be permitted to look upon 
i;he gatherings of those veterans, though the scene recalls 
tnany sad experiences of dark and troubled days. We 
jherish the recollections of those with whom we shared in 
?lose familiarity the hazardous life we once lived, when 
ill felt equally the privations and exposures; when no one 
ife for one single moment was safe from the enemy's 
?uns, the ever vigilant sharp-shooters, the flying shot and 
shell. None but themselves know why they rejoice at raeet- 
ng their old comrades to spend a few hours in their com- 
panionship and in the exchange of those cordial greetings 
tvhich express the fondness and love they bear to each 
Dther. 

There are no ties that bind men more closely to each 
Dther than the experiences and the vicissitudes they pass 
through, the hardships they are compelled to withstand 
and share in defending their country's rights in war. It 
is a bond of affection that cannot be severed even when 
they answer the last long roll-call. 

We love the comrades who fell on the many different 
battlefields, others who faded from our sight in sickness, 
and those who have departed this life since the restora- 
tion of peace. All were sincere in the struggle for the 
preservation of their beloved country. 



102 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCB 

America, thy sons have served thee well, 

Though the misery cost, no tongue can tell, 
From, loved and sacred ties thy peril drew 

The patriots of the sixties, tried and true. 
Hail the heroes who have glorious victories won, 

God bless them, each and every one, 
Who in freedom's name, to dare and do. 

Have nobly fought their country's battles through. 

America, my country, we love thy name, 

Thou hast been restored to thy dome of fame, 
Land of the noble, true and brave. 

Land now free, was once home of the slave, 
May thy dear old banner ever honored be, 

Whither it may go, on land or on sea, 
Peace, happiness and prosperity to thee, 

America, my country, sweet home of liberty. 



Ipoevns 



CHAPTER X 



These verses were written for the occasion, and read 
by the author at the annual picnic of the Veterans', and 
Woman's Relief Corps Association of San Bernardino 
county, California, held at Urbita Springs, Oct. 20th, 1904. 

OUR SOCIALi MEETING DAY. 

Again we have met, the boys of the Blue, 

To while a few hours in play, 
To review the old scenes, talk of the army beans, 

And the boys who obstructed our way. 
Though many a year has come and gone, 

And our locks have grown thin and gray, 
The past is vividly before the Veteran, 

On our social meeting day. 

We see the dreaded storm approaching 

And the martialed hosts arrayed, 
Hastening to the field of conflict, 

On those bright morns of our youthful days. 
We hear the parting prayers of our dear ones, 

That shall guide us on our way, 
Our country calls,— "To arms! To arms!" 

We can no longer with them stay. 



io6 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

The foe presses on, with impetuous fury, 

Determined, in his might, to gain all sway; 
Vantage inclining now to the Southland, 

And again, the tide we stay. 
Brave commanders ride in the thick of the fight; 

Our depleted columns are giving way! 
The bayonet boys charge ; Ave advance in fierce array ; 

Behold the deeds of valor ; we are sure to win the day. 

We hear the resounding cry of Victory ! 

We repeat it o'er and o'er. 
And it rolls across the continent 

From the Atlantic to the Pacific shore, 
Proclaiming joy for the bondman, 

In the land we shall restore, 
And we hurrah for dear old Union 

And the Flag we all adore. 
All are fresh to the memory of the Veterans, 

And the boys are boys once more. 

Some tell us we are old and forgotten. 

Our services are not needed more; 
The days of the sixties are long passed, 

The carnage and strife is o'er. 
'Tis true, we are aged and crippled, too, 

We obtain but little succor, 
The days will come, and the fife and drum 

Shall recall our deeds of yore. 



NUGGETS OF BXPERIENCB 107 

Our soldiering on earth is nearly done, 

Our battles shall soon be o'er, 
And we shall seek the sweet repose 

On the bright and golden shore. 
When we have gathered at the River 

Our comrades crossed some forty years or more, 
Our sorrows shall cease; we shall rest in peace, 

In the great Grand Army Corps. 



THE YEAE OF SIXTY-THREE. 
THE JUBILEE. 

In eighteen hundred and sixty-one 

As fortune did decree. 
War infested our peaceful land 

Between slave and liberty. 
In southern lands were haughty bands, 

Recognized their demands must see; 
Or Southern States from union bonds 

Seceded would surely be. 

CHORUS. 

Our country's flag, insulted long, 
The emblem of the free; 

Drooping in crape for the nation's fate, 
And trembling for liberty. 



io8 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

Uncle Abraham warned our rebellious friends, 

Go home and peaceful be; 
Or emancipation bill he would pass, 

And make four millions free. 
The colored race in bond and chain 

He would make four millions free; 
And the Jubilee should be sounded forth, 

In the year of sixty three. 

CHORUS. 

Stand by the starry banner, boys, 
It's the emblem of the free; 
The Jubilee shall be sounded forth 
In the year of sixty three. 

Our victorious anus at Gettysburg, 

Vicksburg and Tennessee; 
Were noble aids to our glorious cause, 

In the year of sixty three, 
With Lincoln at the head of government, 

Grant the army chief to be; 
Phil Sheridan swept the valley clean 

Marched Sherman to the sea. 

CHORUS. 

Bearing aloft that royal banner, boys, 
The emblem of the free; 
For the Jubilee had sounded forth 
In the year of sixty three. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIENCE 109 

At the final meet at Appomatox House, 

Near the historic apple tree; 
Grant in his magnaminity 

Made Lee and his army free, 
Peace being desired most of all 

Go home good citizens be; 
And the Jubilee shall be sounded forth, 

The Nation's unity. 

CHORUS. 

Protect that dear old banner, sons, 

It's the emblem of the free; 
Keep in mind the cost of the Jubilee, 

In the year of sixty three. 



AULD LANG SYNE. 

Again we have met, my honored friends 

And proven friendship true. 
Now for sacred ties we part 

I will bid farewell to you. 
I will bid farewell to you, my friends 

And ever keep in mind. 
The friends we have met, we will not forget 

Nor the days of Auld Lang Syne. 



no NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

Now here's a hand my trusted friends 

Each give a hand o' thine, 
We will take a sup from the old time cup 

For the days of Auld Lang Syne. 
For the days of Auld Lang Syne, my friends, 

For the days of Auld Lang Syne 
We will take a sup from the old tin cup 

For the days of Auld Lang Syne. 

You'll return to your own sweet homes 

And I'll go back to mine; 
We will meet again some other time 

For the days of Auld Lang Syne. 
For the days of Auld Lang Syne, my friends, 

For the days of Auld Lang Syne, 
We will meet again some other night, 

For the days of Auld Lang Syne. 



HAPPY DAYS OF YORE. 

I am thinking of the days long ago, laddies, 

When I was young and gay, 
Now on the downward of life's ladder 

Almost to the close of day. 
O'er land, and sea I have wandered far 

Deeply in grief and alone 
And darker the clouds of fortune frown 

As years come creeping down. 



NUGGETS OP BXPERIBNCB iii 



CHORUS. 



Oh, could I recall those happy days 
That I might rejoice once more 

How I long for those days to return to me 
Those happy days of yore. 



I was once blessed with wife, and children three 

They were happy, joyous and free. 
Now left alone in the cold world 

We laid them 'neath the old willow tree. 
Oh, how I long to join them 

In their angel home on high 
I close my feeble eyes on the scenes passed 

In those happy days gone by. 

CHORUS. 

I am aged, I am weak and bowed now 

My days of youth are long by 
I fold my arms and ponder on the old home 
Once dear to mine and I, 
Yet, I'll return to the old home 

Where the graves of my babes are green 
Where they played by the brook by the hillside 

So oft, the sight I have seen. 



113 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCE 

FliOWERY FLORIDA. 

(Suii'ering with rheumatism, at the beautiful Lake 
Thonotasassa, South Florida, upon my departure for the 
prairies of the northwest, the following verses were writ- 
ten) : 

Kind friends I now must leave thee, 

I bid you a fond farewell, 
Your beautiful lake too, I'll bid adieu, 

And the scenes I love so well. 
I leave thee now for a distant land: 

Kind friends, when I'm far away, 
When you think of the day, when long gone by, 

Will you think one thought of me? 

CHORUS. 

Journeying on afar. 

Way o'er land and sea, 
AVith a saddened heart I leave thee, 

A wandering refugee. 

Oh, Florida, must I leave thee. 

Thy land of flowers, and flee 
For my afflictions great, we will separate: 

My home is not with thee. 
Thy orange groves, with golden fruit. 

Thy grape and guava tree, 
Sweet potatoes too, all fair to view, 

But no more grits for me. 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 113 

CHORUS. 

When far away in a distant land, 

Where the snow doth robe the lea, 
I'll oft return to the flowery south 

In silent reverie. 
When alone in my cabin home 

On the plain so wide and free, 
I'll think of the day when I said good-bye, 

And no more grits for me. 



10 



OTHER EXPERIENCES. 




CHAPTER XI 



The Postponed Horse, or Across Dakota Territory in 1880. 

A CONTEMPLATED JOURNEY TO THE GOLD FIELDS— MY NEW 
FRIEND — THE TROTTING HORSE TURK GOLD-DUST— FITTED 
OUT FOR A CAMPAIGN ON THE OPEN PRAIRIES— WHITE 
SWAN AND FORT RANDALL— PLATT CREEK— THE QUARTER 
DASH — FORT THOMPSON— A NIGHT WITH OLD FRIENDS- 
INDIAN AGENCIES— THE BIG MUDDY— BIG BEND— BIRTH 
OF CONTEMPLATION— PORT PERRIE— THE VILLAGE HOTEL 
— WAKPA SHICKA, 

In the fall of 1880 I had occasion to make a trip to 
the Black Hills, the great gold bearing fields of the Terri- 
tory of Dakota. 

Although there were at that time obstacles without 
number to hinder the pursuit of pleasure, it in reality ter- 
minated in a most entertaining experience and proved to 
be the most benefitting to health of all my many journeys. 

During the spring and summer months, an epizootic 
of a very prostrating nature infected the horses of south- 
eastern Dakota. I had been engaged in administering 
stimulants to the suffering equine, consequently my rest 



ii8 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCE 

was broken a good deal through the hot months and I was 
feeling considerably fatigued and worn down. 

I had at that time a trotting horse I had dealt for, 
and I wanted to secure a little recreation for myself by 
his means. I thought a journey to the Black Hills, as a 
business trip combined with pleasure, would be of benefit 
to me. 

I had recently become acquainted with a man residing 
at Elk-Point, Dakota, who had journeyed over the route tc 
the Hills and return two or three times. He was about tc 
start on his final trip, and on hearing of my contemplated 
journey to the Hills he came to see me, and was anxious 
that I should accompany him. He stated, by way of in- 
ducement to me, that he had been successful in his formei 
speculative transactions across the prairies. This time, he 
said, he would be prepared to go in better shape than evei 
before. He was going to have a covered wagon loaded with 
butter, and had also five horses to take along for sale. H( 
would have a light, covered spring wagon to carry our pro- 
visions and bedding, and in it we could sleep nicely. H( 
would hitch four of his horses to the loaded wagon; his 
odd horse and my trotter would make a good team for the 
light spring wagon, and we could go along in elegant style 

There was going to be the grandest fair held at Dead- 
wood that had ever taken place in the gold regions, or 
for that matter, in all the western country, and all woulc 
be in operation about the time of our arrival. An elaborate 
programme was on exhibition, advertising fine racing 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCB 119 

'emiums; among them one thousand dollars was offered 
; a free-for-all trotting purse. I thought the opportunity 
good one and I determined to cross the plains with my 
iw friend. I would take my trotting horse, "Gold-dust," 
ong, attend the fair and races, and as I believed I would 
)t be likely to come in contact with horses of high speed 
L so new and isolated a country, I would without doubt 
cure a large portion of the money of any race I started 
m in, and chances were good to quit a winner. 

'We left Elk-Point on the 5th day of September, our 
rst half day's travel being along the wet and heavy Mis- 
luri river-bottom roads. We arrived in Vermillion after 
irk, where we camped for the night, with fifteen miles of 
ir long road behind us. 

Rolling out early the next morning, we hoped to reach 
ankton before night. Yankton was then the capitol of 
le Territory of Dakota, and my home. The roads were 
3avy; we were trailing the spring wagon, and it was well 
igh the end of the day when we drew into Gayville, a 
nail village twelve miles east of our intended camping 
lace. Leaving my friend to put up for the night, I took 
le cars for Yankton to make preparations to start the 
?cond team, as my horse was yet at home. 

My friend came up the following day, and after feed- 
ig our horses, lunching ourselves, and making some neces- 
iry preparations, we hitched our teams and left Yankton, 
westward bound, thoroughly fitted out for a campaign on 
lie open prairies; I manipulating the reins over the four 



120 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIENCB 

horse team, while my friend sat behind the eoachers in the 
covered spring wagon. 

We traveled out a few miles and went into our first 
camp on the prairie. We talked but little; went to bed 
early, and I confess, I did not j)rize my quarters as highly 
as I might have done in earlier days. 

We were on the road with the first light of the morn- 
ing, and camped for the night on the east side of Choteau 
Creek. Our next day's travel was through the Yankton 
Indian Reservation, over a great deal of rough sideling 
road, and at times I was fearful of my ability to keep 
my heavy loaded wagon proper side up. There were many 
abrupt hills and ravines to pass over, the White Swan 
hill being a bad one. White Swan is the name of a place 
on the Yankton Indian Reservation, located on the east 
side of the Missouri River. I did not know then, nor do 
I at the present time, how the name of White Swan orig- 
inated, or why it was ever called a place, but I supposed 
the name was derived from the family title of some of 
the nobility of red birth. I did not see in that vicinity, 
and did not think there was at that time a dwelling within 
the radius of a half day's travel. 

Fort Randall is located on the Military Reservation,— 
on the west side of the river, directly opposite White Swan, 
and eighty-five miles from Yankton. 

Not being accustomed to the kind of teaming I was do- 
ing, and my health not the best, having to figure with a 
team of four green horses over the rough roads, required 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 121 

my entire and close attention through the day. 'When 
night came I would be very tired and always willing to 
retire early, but after a few days on the road, I found 
that being exposed to the open air was doing me good. 
Strength was returning, my appetite was of the best, I 
could sleep soundly, rise in the morning feeling as fresh 
as the merry lark, and I began to enjoy our way of travel- 
ing, hugely. 

All seemed to be moving smoothly with us, until we 
reached a small stream known as Piatt Creek, a tributary 
to the Missouri River. On the west side of the creek was 
located a ranch, a big log cabin and corral, for an accommo- 
dation for freighters and the traveling public. We found 
the water had recently been on its bad behavior and the 
banks were badly washed away, making the crossing un- 
safe for loaded teams. 

My friend succeeded in crossing with the spring wa- 
gon farther up the stream, while I was compelled to await 
the repairing of the crossing. He hitched his team to the 
corral, obtained a shovel at the cabin, and in a short time 
had completed the crossing. I started my team for the 
opposite side, when my friend's horse, that had many a 
time run away at sight of a covered vehicle, seeing the 
white covered top of my wagon rocking back and forth 
as it rolled across the rough creek bottom, became fright- 
ened, leaped to the front and broke his bit, turning him- 
self and his mate loose on the prairie. 



122 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

Away they ran with our nice little spring wagon. 
This race was a quarter dash, the trotter on the right hand 
or off side, the natural runaway, the left side or the 
pole. The trotter proved the faster runner, and they 
circled to the left onto the creek bottom. This was a race 
in pure sincerity. I fancy I see them before me now, as 
plainly as on the day of the casualty, in that hotly con- 
tested brush for first place in their semi-circle to the south. 
It was a sad accident, but a comical sight. Our bed and 
bedding went floating through the air, in all shapes and 
directions; our provision box was broken open and sent 
whirling about the prairies as if struck by a Missouri cy- 
clone. The bread, meat, canned goods, tin pans and dishes 
were strewn promiscously about all along the line. Our 
little wagon was completely pulverized and distributed 
broadcast to the gentle zephyrs of the great Northwest. 
Nothing remained attached to the horses at the finish save 
the ends of the broken whiffletrees, and when desiring to 
discontinue the exhibition of speed, at the sudden appear- 
ance of the creek brink, both horses fell to the ground 
greatly entangled in the harness, where they quietly 
waited extrication. 

After releasing and returning them to the stable we 
concluded there was business enough for us at that place 
for the remainder of the day, and we would tarry for the 
night. We began picking up such of our household stuffs 
as we could find, with a view to putting them in the big 
wagon on top of the load of butter. When they had been 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 125 

secured and stuffed under the big cover, we commenced 
gathering together the splinters and remains of our much 
cherished little wagon, and we laid them carefully in a 
neat little heap close by the side of the cabin, and en- 
gaged a man with team to carry them to the Missouri 
river and ship on a down steamer to Yankton. I did not 
know what for, unless for burial. 

The following morning we were early to breakfast, 
and hitched up our four horse team, leading the runaway 
horses behind. My friend lamenting the loss of his spring 
wagon, and I with the four in hand, we journeyed on over 
the plains. 

At Fort Thompson we found a good camping place 
for a night, and I had the pleasure of meeting my old 
friend, Frank Elliott, with whom I enjoyed a pleasant 
visit. My acquaintance with Elliot dated some years be- 
fore, when he was a soldier in the United States Regular 
Army and located at Brule Military Post. I was then vis- 
iting Major De-Russy, whose agreeable acquaintance I had 
the pleasure to make in my earliest days in Dakota. The 
Major was a great horse fancier and I enjoyed visiting 
him. He kept a fine Hambletonian stallion, which he had 
purchased in Kentucky, and two youngsters that were 
promising speed. He had a half mile race track on the 
' plateau back from the Post, where he and I would go to 
amuse ourselves with the horses. The Major was in com- 
mand of the Post, and Elliott was Assistant Quartermas- 
ter, and as there was but little military duty to be done, 
11 



126 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNGB 

we enjoyed feasts of amusements. Later, the Major was 
assigned to command in Arizona, among the Indians. El- 
liott 's term of service expired ; he was discharged from the 
army, and employed at the agency as issuing agent for the 
Crow Creek Indians. Fort Thompson was an old mili- 
tary post located on the East side of the Missouri River, 
on the Winnebago and Crow Creek Indian Reservation, 
which is one of the largest Indian Reservations on the Mis- 
souri River. 

But morning came, as I knew it would, and as the old 
adage goes: "The best of friends must sometimes part." 
So I parted with my friend Elliott, and we were soon again 
winding our way over the wide prairie to the west. We 
camped for the night on a pretty piece of level land by 
the side of a stream of clear water. AVhen we had finished 
our evening meal we sat by the wagon enjoying some 
Havana crooks, as my friend called them, which he had 
not forgotten to bring along. The night was, reminding 
me of the writing of the poet, purely sublime. The 
weather was warm, not a cloud to be seen, and the stars 
were shining forth in their brightest light. Not a sound 
was heard to mar the grandeur of the peaceful night. All 
under the azure canopy seemed to be at rest. 

I remarked to my friend, "How strange it seems to 
me, that white people can content themselves to live among 
Indians at an Agency." 

"They get used to it," he carelessly replied. Getting 
used to living among those copper-faced people, I thought, 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCn 127 

would be a good deal like getting used to being hanged; 
by the time the art was acquired the victim would 
be of little value on earth. If a man who is not thoroughly 
conversant with the fiendish customs and brutal desires of 
those remarkable freaks of the human species, is seeking 
information, thinking it would be nice to live among them, 
will go to some of the Sioux reservations, go out in a dark 
night, get lost and wander around on the banks of the Big 
Muddy for the short space of two hours, and hear the 
dreary noises, whether he be attentive or not, he can 
thoroughly indulge in the unalloj^ed, dismal unciviliza- 
tion to his entire satisfaction. 

He is now a thousand miles from home in his loneli- 
ness, thinking of his good and faithful wife, who is attend- 
ing to his business matters while he is seeking a little recre- 
ation in the far West, His darling, blue-eyed babes seem 
more dear to him now, and he wonders if the little prat- 
tlers lisp the name of Papa when they are repeating their 
evening prayers, receiving their good night kisses and being 
tucked away in their cosy little beds. He barkens to those 
moaning sounds of the rolling waters, the agonizing howls 
of the prairie wolves, the startling tumbling of the river 
bank, the stealthy approach of the natives' canoe, notes the 
rapid hissing noises of the different under-currents, and 
sees the Redskin, in the darkness, sneaking up with toma- 
hawk in one hand, scalping knife in the other, impatient to 
chop him in the back of the head while he is enjoying a few 
loving thoughts of home, and he thinks of the customary 



128 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

carelessness of the Sioux, when selecting a memorial in 
the form of a tuft of hair— so likely to take the head with 
it. If, when found at the expiration of his two hours, he 
is still yearning for Indian agencies, he should be judged a 
Brave, and permitted to wear the paint. 

The Indians have named the Missouri Eiver the ''Big 
Muddy" because it is a large and swift running stream and 
the water is never clear. The channel is constantly chang- 
ing in consequence of continuous forming and reforming 
sandbars. 

Five miles above Fort Thompson there is a peculiar 
turn in the river, known as the "Big Bend." The river 
flows in a southeasterly direction, then turns to the north- 
east, then makes an abrupt turn to the northwest, again 
curves to the northeast, then southeast, again south to the 
beginning, and finally southeast, forming a narrow neck 
of land between the two curves, and an oblong body of 
many acres of rich grazing lands. 

Near the small stream chain La-Rush, seven thousand 
head of cattle were quietly grazing. These we were in- 
formed were the property of Charles Woolworth and Com- 
pany of Omaha, Nebraska. 

Now being deprived of our little wagon, our sleeping 
place was rendered very incomplete. We had a good mat- 
tress and a sufficient amount of bedding, and would, when 
camping at night, prepare a shake-down on the ground 
under the wagon and stretch a tarpaulin around as a wall 
against the weather, forming a very comfortable apart- 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 129 

ment. I could not resist the thought of rattle-snakes, of 
which there was no scarcity, lizards, wolves, and many 
other beasts and reptiles that live and move about the 
prairies ; but we were soon lost in dreamland enjoying the 
sweet repose that so easily comes to the tired traveler in 
the soothing breezes of the outdoor air on the western 
prairies. Thus we arose each morning refreshed and able 
for the duties of the day. 

When we reached the river opposite Fort Pierre, we 
were informed that we could not cross by reason of high 
wind. We therefore moved back near the bluff and went 
fnto camp for the day. At this time the birth of contempla- 
tion of a town at East Pierre had but recently taken place, 
and it was not yet known whether or not the project would 
prove a success. A few rough board shanties, one liquor 
store, one saloon and a blacksmith shop was all the new 
town could boast of. French Joe, the pioneer saloon keeper 
of Yankton in its early career, was the occupant of the 
saloon. 

The following day when the storm had diminished to 
some degree, the Captain thought the sign was right, and 
that he would attempt to steer his craft across the Big 
Muddy. We drove our team to the river, but could see no 
boat. When we inquired as to its whereabouts, the Captain 
erected himself to a high commanding attitude, and with 
the short, thick finger of his right fist indicated the far 
side of the sandbar, saying: "There she lays." I could 
not then see a boat, but about a quarter of a mile from us 



130 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

I saw something which I though had the appearance of a 
pile of refuse lumber, such as I had seen thrown from a 
wornout plank road in the eastern states. However, we got 
across the sandbar, and succeeded in boarding the thing, 
only to find it had once been a coal barge. My friend called 
it a flat boat, and it might have been one at sometime, but 
now was so badly warped that there was nothing flat about 
it. The Captain landed us safely on the other shore, and I 
did not regret awaiting the abating of the winds. 

We were now at Fort Pierre, a small village, prin- 
cipally of log cabins, located on the west side of the Mis- 
souri River. It was once a military post, but abandoned as 
such a great many years ago, and at the time of which I am 
now writing it was used as a transfer post for all freight 
from the Missouri River boats, going to the Black Hills 
and military posts west, which was hauled across the plains 
by mules or cattle trains; thirty-five days for the round 
trip to the Hills with cattle being considered a success. 
Mules were more active. 

We had been so long on the way, camping, eating and 
sleeping in the open air, that being in the village seemed al- 
most like returning to civilization, and we mutually agreed 
not to make coffee ; instead we partook of a very good supper 
at the village hotel, the proprietor of which, we learned, 
was frequently the subject of serious jokes at the pleasure 
of the freighters. He was one who will not be forgotten 
by the many who chanced to pass his way. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 131 

After visiting some old friends whom we met at this 
place, we retired for the night; but did not sleep for the 
reason that the cattle trains were ready to move, and the 
inexperienced teamsters who had been engaged for the trip 
were using the night for rehearsing the whip act. 

Our next day's travel was along the north side of the 
Wakpa Schicka, as the Sioux have it, or, "Bad River." 
The feeders of Bad River, of which there are a goodly lot, 
all rise in the north and flow in a southerly direction. The 
freight road crosses many of them, and all must be forded 
as there were no bridges at that time. 



CHAPTER XII 



BAD RIVER— THE STORM AT PLUM CREEK— INDIANS ON THE 
WARPATH— DEAD MAN's CREEK— CHEYENNE RIVER— A 
GREATER MISFORTUNE — THE INDIANS IN SIGHT— THE 
PHANTOM HORSE-GUARDS. 

Bad River rises in Ziebach County, and contributes its 
contents to the Missouri River south of Fort Pierre. We 
were blessed with the best of weather for traveling and our 
roads were equally as good. The first and only rainfall 
during our journey occurred on the night of our camp on 
Plum Creek, Major Sharp, United States Army Pay Mas- 
ter, with a guard of soldiers, camped near us. He was on 
his paying expedition to the military posts along the Mis- 
souri River and west to Fort Meade. I think that heavier 
rain, louder thunder or sharper lightning I have never ex- 
perienced, than we saw and heard that night. 

Having camped on the east side, we found the stream 
so swollen the next morning, that crossing with a loaded 
team was an impossibility, and it was late when we suc- 
ceeded in getting to the west side, where a log cabin and a 
telegraph station were located. When there, we were in- 
formed by the operator that a telegram had been received, 
stating that the Indians were on the warpath. They had 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 133 

the day before attacked John Dougherty's freight trains, 
massacred his teamsters, and stampeded and stolen the 
cattle. This was rather a discouraging report for us, but 
we considered traveling one way as safe as going the other, 
and continued moving towards the setting sun. Our roads 
were heavy ; the streams swollen with the late rain and our 
team mired in Burnt Creek in three feet of water, detain- 
ing us some hours. We were fording the rapidly running 
streams and toiling on through the seemingly long day, un- 
til darkness fell, compelling us to go into camp for the 
night, but a few miles in advance of our breakfasting place. 
At ten o'clock the next morning we were entirely outside 
of the rain belt, it having extended only over a space of 
country about thirty miles from east to west. Our roads 
were again in excellent condition. 

As we were going quietly along one beautiful and 
bright morning, not having been in conversation for some 
time, and each of us seeming to be in consultation with his 
own thoughts, our attention was drawn to an object in 
the grass, a few rods from us and north of the road. We 
looked steadily for a few minutes, and as we drew 
nearer I thought it looked like a living thing. My friend 
remarked: "It is a buzzard," adding, "it has been wound- 
ed and cannot fly." As I sat nearer it, he gave me his 
revolver, saying: "Go out and shoot it." Carefully I 
descended from my seat and started for the buzzard, re- 
volver in hand and ready for the attack, creeping along as 
slyly as a cat stealing upon a mouse ; with eye fixed on my 



134 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

intended game. The thing seemed to be looking directly 
at me. My friend was calling to me: "Shoot, shoot." But 
I noticed it did not move or change position. When I had 
gone one-half the distance, I made a discovery. Quickly 
dropping my revolver to my side, I quietly walked back to 
the wagon. During the time I was returning, my friend 
was anxiously inquiring what it was. When I was again 
mounted, I said to him: "It is the skull of an ox, partly 
covered with grass, with one horn pointing upward." 
Then he laughed heartily at me for creeping up so care- 
fully to shoot at the head of a dead ox. 

Deadman's Creek was a place of our one night's so- 
journ. Here was a low rough building, house and barn 
combined, used for sn exchange station by the Wyoming 
Stage Company, and thirty miles east from the Cheyenne 
River crossing. One hostler was the Robinson Crusoe of 
the place; he also had been informed of the Indians tak- 
ing the warpath, and was constantly on the lookout, and 
every brush on the creek that contained a red leaf ap- 
peared to him to be an Indian in blanket. We had no 
lingering desire to remain longer than necessary at Dead- 
man's Creek, and we were on the road, as the Floridian 
would have it, "away soon in the morning." I learned 
that the name of this creek originated from the cause of 
so many white men being killed at and near the crossing. 
There was an Indian trail rising at Rosebud Agency, lo- 
cated in the southwestern part of the Territory, on the 
south fork of the AA^hite River. The trail bears away in 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 135 

northerly direction, crossing Deadman's Creek, at this 
hange station, leading north to Fort Bennett, and to 
nite with Sitting Bull's and other hostile tribes in North 
>akota and the British Possessions. 

At different times in the year, principally in the 
pring time, when the grass began to grow, the Indians 
^ould experience a change of heart, (for the bad), and 
'ould travel this trail, back and forth, skulk in the thick 
rush along the creek, and with their rifles pick off the 
/^hites who were migrating to the Black Hills, There 
,^ere numerous, nameless little mounds to be seen, the only 
lark and resting place of many an honest, industrious 
ihite man, on whom misfortune had fallen in the old 
tates, and who had risked all to cross the wild and perilous 
(lains of Dakota, hoping to reach the gold fields of the 
N'est, that he might better fortune for his dear ones, and 
lad fallen by the hand of the copper-faced American, 
Vho can say the "nohle Redman?" What has ever been 
,ccomplished by the savage that he should appear nobU 
the eyes of the civilized world? 

After reaching the summit of Peno Hill, we halted 
ong enough to partake of a cold lunch and feed our horses 
jrain, then passed on for the south fork of the Cheyenne 
Sliver, which we reached when the sun was about one hour 
ligh. Finding no road to the water, the bank high and 
tlmost perpendicular, we set our California break, tied the 
vheels with rope, and began to descend the precipice. The 
sand was loose and deep ; the horses were in to their knees, 



136 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

the wagon to the hub, and suddenly, horses, wagon and 
sand went sliding down the embankment, all together. Af- 
ter reaching the base, which we did without damage, we 
forded the river at Smithville, and drove up inside the 
stockade, where we were to remain for the night. 

The south fork of the Cheyenne River rises in Wy- 
oming, and flows east around the south foot of the Black 
Hills, then in a northeast direction. The north fork of 
the Cheyenne, also rises in Wyoming and flows in a south- 
easterly direction around the north foothills, then east, 
twelve miles north of Smithville, where the two forks unite 
their forces and constitute the Big Cheyenne River, which 
flows in an easterly direction and contributes its waters 
to the Missouri River, north of Fort Bennett. Smithville 
consists of one log cabin with log stable adjoining, enclosed 
with an eight foot stockade, and is situated on the west 
side of the south fork of the Cheyenne River. 

At this place my friend met with another and greater 
misfortune. Almost immediately after stabling our teams, 
one of the wheel horses fell sick. My friend treated him 
with such ,medicine as he had with him. After we had 
partaken of the repast prepared at the cabin for us, I 
went with him to see his patient. I deemed the chances 
against us and inquired if I could be of assistance, but 
my friend thought it was not necessary for both of us to 
remain, and that I had better retire, assuring me that he 
would have the horse right in the morning. I walked to 
our wagon and was soon in bed and lulled to rest by the 



NUGGBTS OP EXPERIENCE i37 

rippling waters of the Cheyenne. I did not waken until 
the gray light was shining in the east and my friend was 
at the wagon calling for me. He had lost all hope of 
saving the life of his horse. I went with him, but we were 
only in time to see the faithful servant breathing his last. 
We were not detained long at the ranch; it was earlyi 
morning and we were determined to move westw^ard. Ar- 
rangements were consummated with Mr. Smith, the pro- 
prietor of the place, for the disposition of the dead horse. 
With the runaway horse harnessed in his place, and my 
trotter bringing up the rear, we were soon climbing the 
bluff for the open prairie. 

We were now fairly in the part of the country where 
the Indians were said to be. In fact, we had been on In- 
dian ground for the most part of the way, but the Plum 
Creek report placed the hostiles west of the Cheyenne 
River. We had heard no different report from the first 
and were on the lookout for the blood-thirsties. Excellent 
weather was favoring us, and as we journeyed on day 
after day, feeling that we were nearing our destination, 
we grew more bold and traveled with less anxiety, as we 
believed ourselves to be so far west as not to be in much 
danger of coming in contact Avith the Indians. True, their 
whereabouts was unknown, and the unevenness of the coun- 
try offered good opportunities for operating with their 
marauding parties, but we were to some degree cheered 
by our good fortune in not having been molested thus far. 

12 



138 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

Suddenly my friend, whose eye rarely missed a mov- 
ing object, looked southward and saw something over the 
hill several hundred yards from the road. "There are the 
Indians," he exclaimed. I turned in the direction he had 
indicated, and there beheld, looming before us, the 
feathers in the war bonnets on the heads of several red- 
skins. They were evidently hiding behind the ridges and 
peeping over the edge at us. The Sioux were now in 
possession of the field. This was to us sufficient and reli- 
able confirmation of the report at Plum Creek. The Sioux 
were active on the white man's trail in those days, and I 
had no doubt the red gentry had become indignant in re- 
gard to a misunderstanding in some business transaction 
with Uncle Sam, and believing themselves ill treated, had 
donned their decorations, and gone forth on the warpath, 
to avenge their wrongs by appropriating a few scalps from 
the heads of the pale faces. We now believed the Indians 
in hostilities, and that war to the knife was to follow^ 
Seated on the box, I was a good deal like the Scotchman 
who said nothing, but kept a deil-o'-a-thinkin'. I could 
devise no plan by which we could avoid an attack, as we 
could not better the matter by fast driving. They at their 
pleasure would rush upon us, stampede the horses, take our 
hair and sneak away to their wigwams. Life I considered 
only a matter of a few moments light on earth, and even 
for that short space of time a thing we dare not call our 
own. 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 141 

The horses were quietly walking, and as we intently 
watched the savages, we could see them growing larger, 
coming nearer and adding to their number, creeping cat- 
like up the hill, as if to gain a better position before 
charging upon their prey. Now that we had found the 
Indians— or they had found us— our case was settled. In 
my own mind, my head was hatless, my hair had risen on 
end, preparatory for the Redskins' scalping knife, and all 
that was necessary to complete the tragedy was that they 
should leap from their place of concealment, sound their 
war-whoop, and gather in the spoils. My thoughts were 
many and followed in rapid succession ; none were perma- 
nent among them. These words I remembered having 
heard uttered by some eastern adventurer in the gold 
regions in Dakota, and I regretted not having taken unto 
myself this good advice: 

"Don't go away, stay at home if you can; 
Stay far from that city they call Cheyenne, 
Where old Sitting Bull and Commanche Bill 
Will lift up your hair, in the dreary Black Hills." 

While those wild and uncontrollable imaginings were 
rushing through my brain, there appeared before us a 
squadron of mounted soldiers, and so near us that we could 
plainly see their United States Army uniform, the dark 
blue blouse, and the bright blue trousers. There was a 
bend in the road in front of us; I thought the distance 
between us and that bend in the road about the same as 



142 NUGGBTS OF EXPERIENCE 

the distance between us and the soldiers. We were mov- 
ing to the southwest, the soldiers seemed to be in the road, 
moving to the southeast, and we, (the soldiers and our- 
selves) were all moving towards the bend in the road. 
This we took to be a reconnoitering party sent out from 
some of the military posts in search of the hostile Indians. 
We saw them move up at a smart trot, then to an easy 
gallop, and slowly descend as if to the valley. They dis- 
appeared, one after the other, until all were hidden from 
our sight. We were diligently watching, thinking each 
moment to see them in the road in front of us, or riding in 
some direction on the prairie, but strange as it may ap- 
pear, we never saw them again. 

While we were watching and hoping that the sol- 
diers would come our way, the strange figures over the 
hill boldly appeared on the summit, and there, to our 
great and very agreeable surprise, we beheld the forms 
of nine, well matured, wild turkeys. To say I never was 
more pleased to see turkeys does not express my gratitude. 
Talk about Christmas and Thanksgiving turkeys! I never 
saw anything that would in any way compare with those 
gaudy-plumed dignitaries, and I considered being in com- 
pany with those nine big chiefs, on the lonely prairies of 
Dakota, a great deal safer and pleasanter than with all 
the hostile Redskins of the Sioux nation. After ascertain- 
ing the fact that we still lived, and congratulating our- 
selves that we had met with no greater misfortune than 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 143 

to have witnessed a mirage of troopers, and experienced 
a hair-bristling scare by a school of grazing wild turkeys, 
we were restored to our normal condition of understand- 
ing and continued on our western tour. 



CHAPTER XIII 



ELK CEEEK VALLEY— MY EEVERIE— BULL-DOG RANCH — SCOOP- 
TOWN— BOWLDER PARK— METROPOLIS OF THE BLACK 
HILLS— ARRIVAL AT THE RACE-TRACK — RUMORS ABOUT 
CAMP— THE STRANGE HORSE— PRESIDENT OF THE TROT- 
TING AND RACING ASSOCIATION — THE POSTPONEMENT- 
CORPULENT BUTTER— MY VISIT— TWO GENTLEMEN BE- 
COME THE OWNERS OF MY TROTTER— EASTWARD BOUND — 
CURLEY AND AULD LANG SYNE. 

Our road west from the Cheyenne River a good por- 
tion of the way led through a valley south and in seeing 
distance of the growing timber along the Elk Creek, where 
I am told is fine grazing land, and stock raising was ex- 
tensively pursued. I shall not soon forget my desires 
when I beheld that beautiful country, as it was the first 
timber to meet my eye since leaving the Missouri River, 
As we moved along over those dry and dusty roads and 
sun-scorched prairies, how I longed for a few hours visit 
and rest at that inviting spot. I believed it the most in- 
teresting part of country that I had seen from the begin- 
ning of our journey. Now and again we could see a build- 
ing, seemingly a dwelling, peering through the forest, and 
I was thinking what a feast of pleasure I could enjoy 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 145 

seated on the creek bank in the shade of those sturdy old 
oaks and cottonwoods, looking into that bubbling stream of 
clear cold water, protected by the apparently affectionate, 
out-reaching branches of the trees on each side, as it went 
dancing merrily along on its way to the Cheyenne River, 
when I was aroused from my reverie by recalling the fact 
that we could not delay now for such luxuries. We had 
started for the races in the Hills^ and the fair was already 
going on at Deadwood. 

"It is a good idea," said my friend, "to take time by 
the forelock, ' ' I answered : " I think that time has taken 
us by the fetlock, and possibly we shall arrive too late for 
any part of the fair." My friend thought we would be 
in good time, as this was only the second day, and the fair 
would continue through the six days of the week. 

We halted a few minutes one morning at a place 
about eight miles from the foothills, a comfortable looking 
log house, with a barn of hewn cottonwood logs on the 
opposite side of the road, and two large white bulldogs who 
seemed to be the patrol of the premises. A lady appeared 
in front of the house whose avoirdupois would balance the 
scales at about one eighth of a ton. She was sole propri- 
etress of the place, and informed us that she was compelled 
to keep the dogs to induce the freighters not to steal her 
chickens. This place had gained some notoriety in the 
early days of the gold excitement in the Black Hills; it 
was yet famous at the time of our arrival, and I believe at 



146 NUGGBTS OP BXPERIBNCB 

the present time it retains the dignified title of Bull Dog 
Ranch. 

We next came to Sturgis, better known in those days 
as Scooptown ; a quiet little hamlet nestling in the foothills 
and ten miles from Deadwood ; quiet, I say, for that region. 
I had occasion to visit it later, and during my last night 
in the place there was but one man shot. 

We now passed through the village of Sturgis, and at 
the first tollgate we took our way up the mountain on the 
new toll road through Bowlder Park. We had been so 
many days on the unsettled and untimbered prairie, that 
it seemed as if we had crossed a great desert, and were 
entering a new world, and I was filled with enjoyment of 
the scene. The road led us along by the side of a creek, 
of which rough, precipitous banks foi'med each side. The 
clear water dripped carelessly over the clean washed gray 
shelved rocks, on its descent to the mountain's base. The 
old trees that had fallen into and across the stream, years 
before, were still holding their position and retaining 
their heavy mossy robes. The vines of different kinds that 
had crept over the old logs and climbed the standing trees, 
were in their pendulous and drapery-like manner adding 
to the picturesque scenery. The creek was densely shad- 
owed from the bright sun by the overhanging branches of 
the natural growing timber, and quiet and harmony in 
sublimity reigned. 

Farther on men were laboring on the grounds, beauti- 
fying the new highway, and the feathered songsters of the 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 1^7 

forest occasionally chimed in their sweet musical voices 
with the echoings of the merry woodman's axe, — as west- 
ward, upward and onward we went, admiring the beauties 
of that natural pleasure park, until we reached the sum- 
mit where the Deadwood Trotting Park was located. The 
horses were called for the pacing race, and I could not 
resist being a spectator. When the heat was finished we 
began our three miles descent to the metropolis of the 
Black Hills, and after twenty-two days on the uninhabited 
plains, we entered the City of Deadwood, completing the 
longest drive I have ever made to reach a race meeting. 

It was Thursday night, four days of the fair had 
passed; the free-for-all race would be trotted Saturday, 
and I must devote my entire time and attention to the wel- 
fare of my old trotter. Gold-dust had been right on his 
feed all the way; he had eaten a good quantity of oata, 
plenty of grass and several holes in the wagon cover. He 
much desired when tied up to amuse himself by taking 
tiold of something with his teeth, and making a moanful 
noise, but the old horse was feeling like a hound, eager 
lov a chase. On examination I found his shoes entirely 
ivorn out, and put him away to await another rising of the 
3un. 

Gold-dust came into my possession some time after 
3eing shipped from the east. He was a horse of good 
jonformation, kindly disposed, and of more than ordinary 
intelligence, with as handsome a pair of eyes as I have 
3ver seen in a horse's head. He had but little mane and 



148 NUGGETS OP EXPBRIBNCB 

was an inveterate cribber. He had one inflexible ankle 
joint, and the hair had fallen from his tail until it was left 
a spike. With some practice on his ankle, it was restored 
almost to a normal condition. He grew fine in flesh and 
he was a good actor, but while he had received careful 
treatment, and many of his ailments had been success- 
fully and satisfactorily repaired, there still remained with 
him two lamentable faults; I never could put a new tail 
on him or cure him of his cribbiting. After finding a smith 
the following day, I got some shoes on the horse, and we— 
myself and Gold-dust— made our appearance at the fair 
ground. We aroused curiosity from our arrival at the 
gate, and I met many quizzers. I succeeded in reaching 
the stables at the farther side of the grounds, but could 
find no place for the horse, the stalls were occupied by 
farmers who had driven to the fair, and no one seemed 
willing to vacate for my benefit. 

We had been waiting but a few minutes when the 
people began to leave the grand-stand while the races 
were yet going on, to come over to us, and many ques- 
tions were asked. The president of the fair came and 
questioned me skillfully, but he did not succeed in ex- 
tracting any information from me. I had brought the 
horse over the country with a load of butter; I thought 
he could go some, and I Avanted to start him in the trot. 
The president looked him over carefully; said something 
about a dangerous horse, and walked away. The chances 
for getting a stall appeared more and more doubtful. For- 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 149 

tunately, I met a young man with whom I had had some 
acquaintance before going to the Hills, who was known 
on the turf as Curley. Curley was handling some horses 
for a Mr. Fyler who resided at Central City. Their horse 
having trotted his race, they concluded to send him home, 
thereby providing for me a stall. 

When the races for the day were over, I hitched to 
the sulky and drove onto the race track. The president 
addressed me from the Judge's stand, saying there were 
too many people on the track to exercise horses, but he 
would permit me to go to the Back Stretch. Some gentle- 
men had come to the ground to see my horse in his exer- 
cise, and I walked him to the part of the track assigned to me 
and brushed him back and forth a few times; to the satis- 
faction of my new friends, who came to the conclusion 
that he was a sleek fellow and would do to speculate on. 
During the evening and the following morning, there were 
many rumors in circulation about the camp concerning 
the strange horse. A report was current of a telegram 
being received, stating that a horse, answering the descrip- 
tion of mine and named Gold-dust, had trotted at Lincoln, 
Nebraska, and at Denver, Colorado, winning everything 
with a record of two twenty-one and that he had started 
for the Black Hills. The natural inference was that this 
must be the horse. It was found that Curley had known 
me before going to the Hills, and it was believed he could 
tell something about the horse, so Curley became a victim 
of question and consultation. He could be seen at almost 

13 



ISO NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

any time, cornered and in close conversation with some of 
his anxious inquiring friends of the Hills. Curley did 
not know the horse well, but believed he could defeat any 
horse in a race in the West. 

Saturday morning was cold. After harnessing my 
horse, and applying all the turf goods I had with me, con- 
sisting of quarter boots, elastic stockings in front, scalp- 
ers, and shin boots in the rear, I reached the course and 
found all horses had gone to the stable, and every man 
on the ground was out in the grand-stand or quarter- 
stretch, with watch in hand, waiting the exhibition of 
speed to be shown by Gold-dust. After exercising, I took 
him to the distance stand and turned, when he went away 
more like a trotter than I had ever seen him. He was as 
open as the smile of an alligator, and as active as a flock 
of scared bats. 

I pondered on the carnival I could have in a race 
with that speed with substance to carry it, but detected 
sufficient evidence to justify me in believing that all was 
not quite right with us. The altitude of seven miles was 
too high; the air was either too light for Gold-dust, or 
his wind was too heavy for the air; surely something was 
out of kilter, for his breathing apparatus did not harmonize 
with the mountainous atmosphere. When taken back, 
however, after leaving the score, until turning the home- 
stretch, he had the appearance of a race horse to the finish, 
and showed the boys a high rate of speed. This I discov- 
ered caused some uneasiness among owners and drivers, 



NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCE 151 

and some were desirous to buy Gold-dust, With one man 
I bargained at a fair price, with the understanding, at 
his request, that I would drive the horse in his race, but 
owing to his inability to get the cash on his collateral, 
the case went by default. 

The free-for-all race filled with five entries, pacers 
and trotters, Gold-dust and Bill Morgan being the trot- 
ters. Coyote was the name of one pacer; the names of the 
others I do not recall. There had been a dash of rain in 
the morning, accompanied by a cold northwest wind, but 
it passed over and we thought the day a passably fair one, 
considering the altitude and season of the year. The 
track was in fine condition. The fair had been carried on 
for five consecutive days, and the people of the Hills look- 
ed farward to the sixth and last day as a day of crowning 
efforts. A strange horse was known to be in their midst, 
and the free-for-all was looked for as a race of great in- 
terest. 

Dinner was over and the time for the race had drawn 
near. The horses were not yet called, and some of ua 
walked to the stretch to learn the cause. In the judge's 
stand, like a statue, stood a man whose height was about 
four feet; his weight two hundred pounds; he was robed 
in a suit of navy blue broadcloth; his left hand was hid- 
den in his pantaloons pocket; his right hand grasped the 
bell cord; two small American flags adorned his left breast, 
and the cover on his head resembled a Japanese soup 
bowl. This man was the president of the Trotting and 



152 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

Racing Association of the Black Hills. The president rang 
the bell for quietness, that he might speak unto the multi- 
tude; when all was still, he said: 

"Ladies and gentlemen: I regret that owing to the 
inclemency of the weather, and the bad attendance during 
the several days of the fair, we are obliged to postpone 
the free-for-all race. We will at some future time, not far 
distant, give the purse, and more with it, for a trotting 
race. Ladies and gentlemen the fair is now closed at 
Deadwood Trotting Park," 

As the race (Gold-dust, rather) was postponed and 
there was no more amusement on the turf, I betook myself 
to Central City, where I became better acquainted with 
Mr. Fyler, whom I found to be one of the noblest hearted 
men of the age, Curley was with him and I spent many 
pleasant days with them. 

Soon after reaching Deadwood, my friend with whom 
I crossed the plains engaged to carry an electioneering 
party, with his team, to the different towns in the Hills, 
and I did not have the opportunity of seeing him again 
before my departure. I never knew with what success he 
disposed of his property, but I thought he should have 
sold to good advantage. The horses were fat and strong, 
and the butter would very favorably compare with the 
horses. Talk about butter— this was the highest, corpu- 
lent grade, and required the united dexterity of four able- 
bodied men to land it in the warehouse. It was my opinion 
that ingenuity enough to remove it from its quarters did 



NUGGETS OF BXPERIBNCB 153 

not exist in the hills; with last report, it was successfully 
holding the fort. 

I visited a number of villages in the Hills, but was a 
greater part of my time in Deadwood, where dwelt two 
gentlemen who had become the owners of my trotter, at a 
very satisfactory figure. They considered him a fine pros- 
pect for the next year's racing circuit in the Black Hills, 
but the winter was a frosty one, and I am told that long 
before his next racing season appeared, the old trotter 
cashed up his checks and passed over the range to race no 
more. Snow had fallen and my visit in the Hills termin- 
ated. The season had grown late; it was well on towards 
winter; the weather was wet and cold in the gulches. I 
concluded that I did not wish to remain longer; having 
disposed of my horse I was lonely, and being free to go 
at my pleasure, one wintry day, after saying farewell to 
my friend Curley and new acquaintances, I engaged pass- 
age to Fort Pierre with a mule train, and departed, east- 
ward bound, from the dreary Black Hills. 

The weather changed for the better; the snow disap- 
peared; the sun shone brightly on the open country, and 
I enjoyed an exceedingly pleasant trip over the prairie 
with the mule skinners, that being the title assigned to the 
drivers of mules in that country. I was kindly given 
room in the tent at night. I maintained a magnificent ap- 
petite, and did justice to the coffee, warm biscuit and ba- 
con. I sometimes sat on a wagon and drove a team of 
eight mules with one jerk rein. Again, I was on horse- 



154 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

back with the boys, driving the loose stock in front. So 
enjoyable were the days, and evenings passed with song 
and joke, that when we reached Fort Pierre at the end 
of nine days, all expressed regrets at being obliged to 
separate. For a short time I felt as if I would like to be 
a mule driver and always dwell on the prairies. 

Again I said farewell, crossed the Big Muddy, en- 
gaged state room on the last steamer of the season for 
Yankton, where, after three days, I was safely landed, 
and remained through the winter. 

Curley informed me later that he left the Hills in 
the following February, and when we occasionally meet 
on the turf, we invariably indulge in a pleasant chat, 
while smoking the Havana weed, in remembrance of oc- 
currences in the Black Hills, and days of "Auld Lang 
Syne." 




Ten Days in the Flood on the 
Missouri River 

A NARRATIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF A RESCUING PARTY 

ON THE SUBMERGED BOTTOMS BELOW YANKTON. 

GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE GREAT OVERFLOW— WONDERFUL 

SIGHTS AND SCENES— THRILLING ADVENTURES. 

MIRACULOUS ESCAPES AND AGONIZING SUFFERING. 



March, 1881. 



CHAPTER XIV 



the cold wintee— breaking of the ice— a venturesome 
people— the steamer western — the gorge unbroken 
—Hanson's landing— our first duty as rescuers— 

THE blessings OF A DELIGHTED YOUNG WIFE— THE HOUSE 
THAT BECAME HISTORIC. 

The winter of 1880-81 was a severe one in Dakota ; 
it is said by the older inhabitants to be the coldest winter, 
with the greatest amount of snow-fall, ever known in that 
country. As my memory serves me, there was almost con- 
tinuous snow, with blizzard accompaniment, from about 
the 15th of December until the last days of February, 
making travel, either by rail or team, an impossibility 
a great deal of the time. 

The calendar informed us that the winter days had 
passed away, but the great solid piles of snow that had 
drifted during the cold months were yet remaining with 
us, and presenting an appearance of having recently been 
made. 

The breaking up of the ice in the Missouri River had 
been looked for for many days, but the cold winter had 
made the ice very thick and strong, and no evidence of its 
failing strength was yet visible; under the prevailing cir- 



158 NUGGETS OP EXPBRIENCB 

eumstances, something more than the ordinary, unforeseen 
happenings were expected at the break-up. 

The citizens of Yankton were much concerned regard- 
ing the safety of the people residing on the Missouri and 
Jim (James) River bottom hinds in case of an overflow. Al- 
though those people had never, in former years, experi- 
enced a destructive overflow, they were constantly, when 
opportunity permitted advising and soliciting the farm- 
ers to move their families to the highlands. 

We, who have lived in a land of plenty, know but 
little of the numerous privations that had to be taken 
into consideration and submitted to, before a comfortable 
living condition could be successfully reached in an un- 
settled country in the far West in the early days, by the 
people who migrated there in search of better fortunes 
for themselves and homes for their families. To endure 
the many difficulties they well knew, and many they did 
not know which must be endured in an uncivilized world, 
where all things were of the wildest and nature still un- 
tamed, not forgetting their continuous exposure to the 
ever barbarious scalping knife of the life-seeking wild In- 
dian; they were surely a venturesome people. 

Such was the class of people who settled on the 
bottom lands of the Missouri and ' ' Jim ' ' River in the early 
days of Dakota; consequently they were not moved at 
warning of danger in times of peace and prosperity. It 
was their home— their all— the small accumulations of 
long and toilsome years; they could not go; they chose to 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 159 

main, let fortune be what it would, and the long looked 
ir day came. 

On Sunday, March 27th, the ice gave way in the river 
, Yankton. Hundreds of people were on the banks to 
itness its going out, and the sight was grand; but as 
stood there in silence, gazing upon those acres of ice 
oving down in a gigantic body, sweeping all before it, 
tremulous sensation seemed to creep over me, as if I were 
'eading an approaching calamity. 

The steamer "Western," the only boat not placed 
1 the repair ways, was caught with the earliest moving 
e, and held so close to the bank as to make her unable 
I rise with the tide. Men labored with her as in case 
: saving human life, but she sprang aleak, sank partly 
ader water and was pulverized on the spot. 

The ice moved out, leaving the river below clear as far 
5 could be seen from the city. The people rejoiced that 
3 more damage had been done ; they evidently thought 
1 danger had passed, but it was discovered later that 
le ice had first broken at the upper end of the river and 
3rged near Springfield, about forty miles above us, which 
3ry plainly explained the cause of the river being clear 
: Yankton. The ice remained unbroken in the river bed 
3low, which was an indication of an overflow, and the 
ater had already commenced to make its way out over 
le lowlands. 

On Monday, the 28th, the ice above began giving way 
ad moved slowly down on the Nebraska side of the river, 



i6o NUGGETS OP EXPBRIBNCB 

the Dakota side running clear until late in the afternoon, 
when all were excited about the city— danger was antici- 
pated on the Missouri bottoms. Captain Lavender, with 
yawl and crew, went to warn some of the people of the 
coming of the water, and on his return, finding himself 
cut off by the ice, he abandoned his boat at the car shops, 
one mile below the city, and made the remainder of his 
way on foot. 

On Tuesday, the 29th, the gorge was reported un- 
broken at Springfield, and the rising of the water was not 
as rapid as it proved to be later. The floating ice, con- 
tinually being forced on to the unbroken ice in the river 
bed a few miles below Yankton, forming a dam, and 
throwing the water onto the Dakota side— where it con- 
tinued to flow through the night, seemed conclusive evi- 
dence in my mind that the greatest flood ever known on 
the Missouri River was then taking place. 

Being informed on the morning of the 30th of the 
amount of water then on the bottom lands; knowing the 
locality of some families and their danger of being swept 
away should the w^ater rise with velocity, and thinking 
it would be a loss of time to wait to get and man a yawl, 
as I believed the water yet too shallow in many places to 
move so large a boat, I immediately secured a skiff, and 
with the assistance of Mr. Fred Kincel, with his team, 
succeeded in getting my boat to the hill, known during 
the flood as Hanson's Landing. This landing was in the 
public highway leading from the city of Yankton in a 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB i6i 

northeasterly direction to the Jim River bridge. It is two 
miles from Yankton and one mile from the bridge, where 
the road ascends from the bottom to the upland or prairie. 

When arriving at the landing I met a young man who 
waa anxiously watching an opportunity to reach his peo- 
ple in the flooded regions. He expressed a desire to go 
with me and we started on our voyage. I found the water 
shallow, as anticipated, with an inch of ice that had 
formed over it the night before, which proved a hindrance 
to us, as we were compelled to break the ice in front be- 
fore we could go forward After working some time we 
reached a snowdrift; taking the boat from the water we 
drew it on the snow with good results, but we found the 
end of the snowdrift and again took to the water. 

We passed near a farm residence, where two or three 
women and as many men were standing on straw covered 
sheds, who were loudly laughing and having a merry time 
as they watched the movements of the ice and water, ap- 
parently wholly unconcerned as to any danger that could 
come to them. The water was then three feet deep about 
the outbuildings; a skiff was moored near by, and I said 
to them: ''Had you not better go to the land? I think 
the water will be still higher." But they only scoffed at 
my warnings as a reward. When returning after several 
days in the submerged country, I met the same party at 
the house of Major Hanson on the hill— a very meek 
family of people. 

14 



i62 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

Soon after leaving the farm residence, we came to a 
new railroad grade, where we took the boat from the wa- 
ter again and drew it on the sleek surface about eighty 
rods; when at this point we got a sudden rise of ten 
inches more water, and we launched the little life pre- 
server, as she proved to be, once more— this time in the 
railroad ditch, which we followed to the open prairie on 
the east side of the Jim River. Up to this time our progress 
had been greatly retarded, owing to the shoal water and 
the thin ice. The water began coming in waves; the thin 
ice gave way before it, and a boat could be handled with 
more ease and speed. 

As we floated out onto the open prairie, there appear- 
ed to us our first duty, as rescuers. About one hundred 
and fifty yards from us was a man on horseback, in the 
water, who had started to cross the Jim River bridge. 
He had reached the unbroken ice, and the moving ice had 
so completely closed in on his rear as to not allow the 
horse to move either way. A number of men and women 
were on the bluff as spectators, but with no means of 
aiding him, and they called to us for help. I thought it 
must have seemed a discouraging case to the poor fellow, 
before he saw the little boat floating out through the brush 
lining the Jim River. There he sat on the horse, thirty 
rods or more from land, his legs in water to the knees; 
the ice rushing about in the rapidly rising water, making 
moaning noises, like brutes in great agony. I imagined 
he was thinking that he would ere long be swallowed up 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 163 

in the wild and angry waves. Fortunately we were in 
good time for the rescue and we hastened to his assistance, 
changing our column, rear to the front, broke and parted 
the ice as the boat moved backward, until a channel waa 
opened and the horse relieved from his paralytic condi- 
tion in the ice. Then moving forward, allowing the horse 
to follow in the boat's wake, we proceeded shoreward. The 
horse appeared to understand something of the situation 
and was anxious for deliverance. His rider required fre- 
quent warning to hold back, lest he climb in and capsize 
the boat, an act I did not care to have him indulge in at 
that season of the year, with the temperature of the water 
at freezing point. However, we arrived ^afe in the haven 
with our charge, and received the blessings of a delighted 
young wife. 

At this place is located a brick house, which will 
appear conspicuously in this narrative. A brief descrip- 
tion of this house will be of interest to the reader, as a 
better understanding of the country in which we wero 
operating can thus be obtained : 

It was a two story, brick dwelling, and was the prop- 
erty of Lewis Volin; it was located on the north bluff, 
•bout one mile east from the Jim River bridge and fronted 
to the south, overlooking both t^ie Missouri and Jim Rivers 
and their bottom lands, also t'le Nebraska bluff, south of 
the Missouri River. As a gre&ter portion of the people of 
the flooded district in Yankton County were taken to 
Yankton, they were landed at the brick house, where pro- 



i64 NUGGBTS OP EXPBRIBNCB 

visions were provided, and when navigation permitted 
they were transferred to the west side of the Jim River. 
This house was used for a general rendezvous and head- 
quarters for all parties going from and coming to, or 
operating on the submerged bottoms. 



CHAPTER XV 



ABRITAL AT THE PARKAS PLACE— THE LITTLE SKIFF AT SEA- 
TERRIFIC STORM— THIRTY-SIX HOURS ' IMPRISOISTMENT— 
DANGER NOT FULLY REALIZED — MERCURY HOVERING 
AROUND ZERO— IN YOUNGER DAYS— PRETERNATURAL 
SCENERY— ARRIVAL OF CAPTAIN LAVENDER WITH YAWL 
AND CREW— SEARCHING THE ICY COUNTRY FOR AN OUT- 
LET—SINGING ON THE WATER A BAD OMEN — CAPTAIN NO- 
BLE AT THE HELM. 

To return to our subject: Touching land at the brick 
house a few minutes only, we were again on the waves, pull- 
ing for the residence of the Parks family, some miles to the 
southeast and towards the Missouri River. Having lately 
received another new supply of water, we could now propel 
our little craft with considerable speed, and arrived at the 
Parks' place about 4 p. m.— in good time, but not a mo- 
ment too soon. This house was a one-story dwelling— one 
part of logs, the adjoining part being of frame. There 
were ten inches of water on the floor, and the two families 
—Parks and Lagrants, were taking refuge on the beds, 
chairs and tables. The water was gradually rising, with 
no possible way for escape, until our arrival. A hurried 
•onaultation, and the little skiff was immediately put to sea, 



i68 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

to carry the women and children to the residence of Mr. 
Clark West. The distance, as I could learn, was about one 
mile, as the bird flies, and it was the nearest two-story 
dwelling in the neighborhood. 

The treacherous appearance of the location we were 
leaving will not easily be forgotten by those who were eye 
witness. As night came on, the water deepened and was rac- 
ing furiously through the trees and snow banks, as if deter- 
mined to sweep everything with it, and everything that 
came in contact with the current was carried away. 

While some of our party were yet standing on a large 
gnow drift, watching for the return of the boat, the frame 
part of the house quickly raised to the surface of the water 
and toppled over on its side. There were nine of us to be 
carried in the skiff over that body of turbulent water, but 
with the kind providence of the all-wise Father, we were 
all, at 9 o'clock in the evening, at the house of Mr. West, 
where I found we were not the only party seeking refuge, 
for three other families had previously taken up quarters 
there. 

This, being the first night, with the terrific appearance 
put forth by the water and ice, I considered the severest 
test for weak hearts, of all my ten days and nights' experi- 
ence with the destructions and devastations of the flood. 
The second story of the house consisted of two rooms, with 
the stairs between them. The west room contained two 
beds, a "shake-down" (with a helpless old couple upon it), 
and many things which had been brought up to be saved 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 169 

from the water. This was the larger room and was occupied 
by the women and children. In the smaller room opposite 
were two beds, which were occupied by the men. 

As there was no other way of reaching the stairs from 
the skiff, our party waded on our arrival at the kitchen 
door; the water then being two feet deep on the first floor. 

All the people had been in the water more or less and 
were wearing their wet clothes. There had been no time 
for making preparations, the water having come upon the 
people in the lower localities suddenly, allowing them barely 
time to flee with their lives. 

The doors and windows of the lower story were kept 
open for the free accession of the water. The night was 
dark and cold; the water rushed with all its fury and 
mighty speed through and about the house; doleful noises 
could be heard as the waves and ice rolled and dashed 
against the house and outbuildings; the water was rising 
every moment with greater rapidity; step after step it 
came climbing up the stairs toward us, and no one knew 
how long the house would resist the strain. 

Shortly after midnight the wind rose to almost a hurri- 
cane, making our condition a more terrifying one, and 
many an appeal in solemn prayer to the Father above for 
deliverance was offered up by those suffering people. My 
anxiety in regard to more serious events was concerning the 
women and children, of whom there were far too many to 
be cared for with one little skiff, that would safely carry 
but three people on the calmest sea. Many thoughts came 



170 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

to me, and yet I did not fully realize the extent of our dan- 
ger. The current might change from its course north of us, 
and break through nearer the river, but, I reasoned, there 
were the trees around the house, which were a fair defence, 
and the Jim River but a short distance west of us, with her 
heavy line of sturdy cottonwood on each side, a much 
greater protection. Had we been men only, I would at 
that time, even with the house forced from its foundation, 
have thought our chances of escape moderately good, but 
experience is knowledge, and knowledge often changes opin- 
ion. Later, I found the power of that body of water and 
ice far beyond my anticipations. 

With all the many difficulties and afflictions we were 
undergoing, there came one consolation. Soon after the 
wind began to blow the water stopped rising, which helped 
greatly to cheer the depressed spirit of our terror strickeu 
people. 

The morning of the 31st came, but did not improve the 
weather nor lessen the water, though with the light of day 
our people were of better courage. 

Let us ponder a few moments on the condition of the 
people on these river bottoms. It was the month of March ; 
the wind remaining at its height; the water from five to 
fifteen feet deep over many miles and thousands of acres of 
AS fertile farming land as can be found west of the Miss- 
issippi River ; the mercury hovering around zero ; the waves 
rolling high and filling the frosted air with spray, prevent- 
ing us from seeing anything going on about us. In the lat- 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 171 

ter part of the day there would occasionally be a pause for 
a moment in the storm, when, peering through the windows, 
we could see a small building or a grain stack tossing about 
on the water before the wind. Think of our experiencing 
a genuine Dakota blizzard, in midwinter, on that ocean of 
water, and you may get a slight idea of our situation. It 
was impossible to operate with a boat on the water during 
the storm, and the suffering cannot be described. Many 
crept away in attics, while others with their families 
climbed to the roofs of their sod-covered dwellings, wrapped 
in bed clothes, as best they could, where they awaited the 
abating of the storm and the coming of the life boats. 

The morning of April 1st was cloudy, windy and cold, 
but later on, the weather having changed for the better, I 
concluded to go out with the boat and if possible find a 
way to the land. With an assistant, I ran the boat to 
Park's place, which we had left two nights previous, and 
found it presenting a desolate appearance; all live stock 
had disappeared, excepting a bunch of shoats, which we 
discovered had kept themselves on the ice, until by the 
rise of water they were elevated to the roof of a straw- 
covered shed, where they were nestling quite contented. 
We now ran the boat out to the channel or running ice. 
On this exploration I had an opportunity of seeing 
some peculiar formations and interesting scenery, which I 
regret my inability to properly describe. In younger days 
I had played about the great Niagara ; I had seen her in all 
her grandeur, both in summer and in winter ; I had sat on 



i7a NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

Goat Island and watched the beautiful rainbows by day, 
and the lunar-bow by night ; I had crossed the river below 
the Falls on the bridge of ice; I had climbed the mountains 
of ice formed by the ascending spray from the great catar- 
act ; I had walked from island to island above the Falls on 
ice and on rocks, gathered boughs from the tamarack and 
cedar trees, when the icicles hung like sparkling diamonds 
in the clear sunlight; I had often watched the beautiful 
little steamer "Maid of the Mist," laden with the merry 
tourists, all attired in their golden-colored, water-proof 
suits, as they promenaded or danced up and down the hur- 
ricane deck, while the tiny craft bravely plowed her way 
through the high rolling waves and dense spray and sped 
on with her pleasure seekers on her voyage around the im- 
mense volume of falling water, but on this occasion I seemed 
to be in the midst of a greater intermixture of foreign and 
preternatural scenery. 

Along the Jim River, where it seemed to take a southerly 
direction, was formed a solid belt of ice, braced by the large 
trees on each side of the river. West, as far as the eye 
could reach, was gorged and moving ice, which was of a 
gray or dark color and very craggy and uneven appear- 
ance. The entire body of ice seemed to me to have been 
gorged on Thursday night; a channel had broken through 
the center, a bank was formed on each side, not more than 
one hundred feet wide, and not unlike the work of a master 
mechanic. Propelling the boat through a narrow channel 
clear from ice, between the bank and a large body of ice 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 173 

extending east, we followed nearly to the Jim River, where 
we came to its head. Here the water came from the ice re- 
sembling an immense spring boiling from underneath giant 
rocks. From this point I had an excellent view of the sub- 
merged country— several miles in all directions. The chan- 
nel, or running ice, appeared to form a half circle, coming 
from the Missouri River above us, moved in a northerly di- 
rection crossing the Jim River, then bearing east ; again to 
the southeast towards the Missouri River. The ice in the 
channel seemed to be three feet above the water, and run- 
ning with almost the speed of a race horse. As I looked 
upon that long line of moving ice, there came vividly to my 
mind scenes in the days of the Civil War, when the Army of 
the Potomac was on the march from the Chickahominy to 
the south side of the James River. 

The dark, cloudy morning had changed to sunlight. A 
fog seemed to hang over us, with a space of several feet of 
clear, frosty air between it and the water. Snow banks and 
piles of ice had lodged in different places on Wednesday 
night. The storm on Thursday, the dashing water, with 
the cold, freezing weather, had formed them into great 
shining icebergs that extended the long white peaks high in 
the air above the water, so numerous in some places as to 
require some skill to manage a boat among them. The dark 
clouds had passed away, and the bright sun penetrating 
the gray mist presented a scene similar to a mirage seen on 
the prairie. The trees were bowed down with their burden 
of ice, each branch and trunk encased with the bright crys- 

1S 



174 NUGGBTS OP BXPERIBNCB 

tal were putting forth white, purple and golden colors, all 
mingled with the ochre tinged water and gray colored ice. 
The partly divested and snow clad bluffs arose in the dis- 
tance, with the dark blue sky far in the background. 

Later, while on this exploring trip, I met Captain Lav- 
ender with his yawl and crew, who hailed me, inquiring 
where he could get something to eat, stating he had tried to 
get to us, and was cast on a cake of ice, where he was com- 
pelled to remain a part of the afternoon Thursday, in the 
storm, and had lodged that night in the garret of Patrick 
Daneen's vacant farm house, without food. I having so re- 
cently escaped from my thirty-six hour imprisonment, knew 
but one place,— the house of Clark West. I said to him: 
"Go there. I think you can get food, also information as 
to who will be suffering most." 

To me the appearance of the captain with his crew was 
a very pleasant event. It was my first knowledge of a boat, 
other than my own, being in the submerged country. I 
was scill searching the icy country for an outlet farther to 
the east, when I met Captain Lavender returning. He had 
loaded his boat with people and was making towards the 
running ice. Again he called to me, saying: "What is the 
trouble?" I replied: "You cannot cross the current." 
The Captain turned his boat eastward, saying: "I think I 
can get through this way," but after moving about some 
time among the floating blocks of ice, in search of an ave- 
nue to the land, he became weary and returned for a resting 
place. He reported the channel impassable, and I returned 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 177 

to Mr. West's for the night. Lavender and crew went to 
Abe Van Osdel's. 

Captain Lavender had been a sea captain of some years' 
experience. He was a quiet, good fellow, and an ardent 
worker in the cause. Nothing on water seemed to annoy 
him so much as vocal music. As it occurs to me, my ex- 
perience has been that all seafaring people are to a greater 
or less degree imbued with superstitious beliefs, and the 
Captain thought siiiging on the water a bad omen. He 
seemed sincere in his belief that the water invariably rises 
while the women sing. 

April 2d dawned coliJ and cloudy, with some wind. Not 
knowing whether or not the people in the outside world 
were awake to the state of affairs existing in that unfortun- 
ate locality, I again took to the water with the skiff, anx- 
iously watching for an opening in the ice, to get to land and 
state the danger the people were in, that men with boats 
might hasten to the rescue; but each time I found the ice 
running, and crossing an impossibility. 

After my return I went with a party to some out-build- 
ings. Fuel had been procured and sent to the house in the 
skiff, Mr. "West and myself were seated on the roof of a 
small building; as getting to the land seemed an unanswer- 
able question. We were speaking of the probable results 
should the water rise higher, when away to the north I dis- 
covered an object on the water, which I took to be a boat, 
but so far away that I could only indistinctly see the vi- 
brating of the oars. To me, they resembled the wings of a 



178 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

large bird moving lazily over the surface of the water. To 
this I drew Mr. West's attention and we watched her on- 
ward coming. It was not long until we were convinced that 
another rescuing party was exploring the icy region. 
Steadily on she came, directly towards us, until within a 
few rods of the buildings, when I heard a voice calling my 
name. I recognized the familiar faces of Ohlman, Karr 
and other gentlemen from Yankton, who composed the 
boat's crew, with that seafaring veteran, Captain Noble, at 
the helm. When landed on the building, all gave me a 
kindly greeting, expressing their surprise and gratification 
at finding me alive, as they had thought me lost four days 
previous, but I was a little earlier than the ice, and reached 
the south side before its coming. 

The gallant Captain and his little band of heroes had 
taken desperate chances. Believing there was much suffer- 
ing, they had risked their own lives to know the fate of 
others. They watched an opportunity for the slightest 
opening, then like a flash the iron hull was forced into the 
running ice, and though it seemed for a time as if the 
force of the floating mass would gain the mastery, and the 
boat with its contents and all would be crushed and 
carried down to destruction, yet with the determined 
and unceasing efforts of the Captain and his crew, she 
was brought safely to open sea. 



CHAPTER XVI 



MY CRAFT— CAPTAIN NOBLE A STRANGER— RECEDING OF THB 
WATER— THE HARDYS— RETURN OF THE WATER- 
CROWDED APARTMENTS— west's HARBOR— RELIGIOUS 
SERVICES— MONDAY, APRIL FOURTH— A HARD, AND A LONG 
PULL— THE NELSON FAMILY— WE TOOK A WALK— RETURN 
TO THE TROUBLED WATERS — THE WIDOW AND FAMILY — 
BLINDING SNOW STORM— BRAVE HEARTS AND WILLING 
HANDS. 

My little skiff was now at a discount. Two yawls were 
exploring the south side of the running ice, engaged in 
moving families from place to place, where they could be 
made most comfortable. 

On the occasion of my first conversation with Captain 
Noble, whom I had never met until on the waters of the in- 
undated country, the Captain took the opportunity to in- 
quire if that was my residence, when I replied: "I am 
here as yourself, sir, a rescuer," and pointing to the skiff 
said: "Here is my craft." The Captain looked at me, 
then at the frail little boat; again at me, and remarked: 
"Well, you have a good deal of nerve." 

Captain Noble was a sea captain, with thirty years' ex- 
perience on salt waters. He was a resident of the coast of 



i8o NUGGETS OF EXPERIENCE 

Maine, and had arrived in Yankton on his first visit to Da- 
kota but a few dars before the overflow. A total stranger 
as he was, not one man in a thousand would have exposed 
himself as he did, from the first rise of the flood. It dem- 
onstrated that he had those qualities of head and heart that 
constitute nature's noblemen. 

At the house of Mr. West, early Saturday evening, the 
water began to recede and sank away rapidly, so that in a 
very short time the kitchen floor was cleared ; a fire started 
in the range, and the Captains— Lavender and Noble, their 
boat's crews, your humble servant and "man Friday" (who 
made his appearance on "Wednesday), were all present, 
seated or standing around the stove, warming our bedewed 
garments. Many amusing jokes were exchanged among the 
hardys. The sudden disappearance of the water, which was 
a surprise and a mystery to us all, and the prospects of hav- 
ing to walk to Yankton the next morning over the muddy 
river bottoms, were the subjects of our conversations. 

AVe were again surprised when at nine in the even- 
ing the water began to return, and came up as rapidly as it 
had gone down but a few hours before. All hands were 
forced to seek shelter in the two already crowded rooms 
upstairs. The water continued to rise until it was three 
feet deep on the kitchen floor. 

April 3rd was Sunday. All had been done for the suf- 
ferers that could be done, until a way could be found to 
take them to land. The boats all laid at their moorings in 
West's Harbor (as it had come to be) ; the water remained 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB i8i 

at its mark until Sunday evening when it began to rise 
very fast, which caused a good deal of uneasiness among 
the people. Captain Lavender reported a wave moving 
from side to side, as being the cause of the rise and fall of 
the water, and the custom on all large bodies of water. 
Some of us knew the channel was gorging below and back- 
ing the water, or the gorge was giving way above. The ice 
was likely to sweep down upon us at any moment. There 
was scarcely standing room for our number in the crowded 
apartments, and none but the small children slept. Re- 
ligious services were held through the night. The lancfing 
at the head of the stairs between the two rooms was occu- 
pied as a pulpit. I was selected as lantern holder to furn- 
ish light for the occasion. Mr. Karr read from the Great, 
Good Book, and the name of the good man who led in 
prayer has gone from my memory. The water was often 
measured and was found to rise one inch on the stairs in 
five minutes, which we thought a rapid ascent. A sharp 
lookout was kept up, and the night passed slowly away. 

Monday, April 4th, the morning was clear and calm; 
the sun shone brightly, and all was still, save the roaring of 
the waters as they rolled away over the great bottoms. Cap- 
tains Noble and Lavender pulled away with the life boats 
once more to review the object of our future. As there was 
nothing to be done until a passage to the land could be 
found, I was obliged to wait for an opportunity to be of 
service, and was pleased that I did not have to wait long. 
Standing on the roof of a building, watching for any signal 



i82 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

that might be given, I saw Captain Noble's boat hastily re- 
turning. In silence I waited for any information he might 
bring. When within speaking distance, he said to me: 
* * Have them get ready. ' ' I quickly gave the order, and the 
women and children were immediately prepared to take the 
boat. When the Captain came near me he spoke in a low, 
firm voice, saying: "Have them make haste. We find the 
ice in the channel stands still; no man knows how long it 
will remain." 

The boat was quickly loaded with the precious freight 
and hurried to the crossing on the ice. Captain Lavender 
had crossed the ice to ply his boat between the gorge and 
the brick house on the bluff. S. K. Felton, with a yawl and 
crew, was also at the gorge. Captain Noble and William 
Giggey with their boats were on the south side behind the 
gorge to carry the people from their different places of con- 
finement to the crossing on the ice. All day long men 
worked unceasingly, willing to venture in the most danger- 
ous places to save and comfort human life. Such scenes 
are not experienced in all generations. The alertness of 
Captain Noble, as he detected every movement of the ice 
above; his quiet, unassuming appearance; his graceful 
management of the boat, gave his crew perfect confidence 
in their helmsman. Brave men were everywhere engaged 
in the noble work, battling with the furious water and ice, 
assisting the sufferers in eveiy way possible. Refugees 
could be seen streaming up the bluffs wherever landed. 
Teams of horses were hurrying about to carry them to the 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 183 

brick house or comfortable quarters in different parts of 
the country, where the doors of farm houses were thrown 
open to welcome them. All were taking an active part; 
there really seemed to be a strife between man and some 
unknown power for the bodies of those unfortunate beings. 
So the bustling labors continued from early morning until 
darkness fell upon the scene, and the day was at its end. 
The sun had sunk beyond the western prairies when our 
last two loads reached the south side of the gorge. Cap- 
tains Noble and Giggey's boats came to the crossing about 
the same time. As no assistance was visible on the opposite 
side, Noble advised that his people be taken into Mr. Gig- 
gey's boat and his (Noble's) boat be taken across the gorge, 
which was immediately done. The women and children 
were then helped across and placed in Captain Noble 'a 
boat. The other boat was then taken over, the remainder 
taken aboard, and with a hard pull and a long pull through 
the darkness, we reached the brick house in safety, and 
again touched foot on land. 

The whole number of people landed on this day, as re- 
ported, was one hundred and eighty. All were safe who 
had been considered in imminent danger. We could rejoice 
in the small number of lives lost, but many suffered with 
frozen hands and feet, and not a few were disabled beyond 
recovery. Three boats' crews. Lavender's, Noble's and 
Giggey's, abode at the brick house over night, and I believe 
each individual rested, conscious of having done -his duty 
well to God and man. 



i84 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

We felt confident that the gorge would go out during the 
night, as it was surging, cracking and threatening to give 
way when we last crossed with the boats, but it remained 
until Tuesday" afternoon, when we received another addi- 
tional supply of the unwelcome mixture of water, ice and 
quicksand. The gorge began to heave and groan, and fin- 
ally moved down over the bottom, sweeping all in its way, 
buildings, hay and straw stacks, containing horses, cattle 
or hogs; all went down with the watery avalanche. Cotton- 
wood trees, two feet in diameter, fell before the ice with as 
little resistance as grass before the scythe. 

I had concluded to go to Yankton for a few days' much 
needed rest, and was on the alert for a way to cross the Jim 
River. Early in the afternoon I walked up the water side, 
where I found a yawl lying that was bound for Yankton, 
managed by the Sampson (Norwegian) crew. I engaged 
to man an oar as a reward for my passage over the Jim. 
We started the boat, with Sampson at the helm (a strong 
name, but a weak crew.) We were searching for an open- 
ing through, when I discovered that another rise of water 
was coming which had set the ice going and the whole body 
above us was in motion. It was cutting us off from land. 
In a very few minutes we would be completely surrounded, 
our only alternative being to pull for shore, which we did 
without delay, and succeeded in reaching, but far from our 
starting point. Quickly hauling the boat onto a snow drift 
to an elevation of security, we ran to the house occupied 
by the Nelson family, where the water had preceded us, and 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNGB 185 

was tearing through the house over the first floor, with the 
roaring of a cataract. A well filled granary near by, with 
its contents, passed to the surface of the water and went 
floating down along the bluff. When we had moved the 
women and children to the hillside, with bed clothing, and 
they were distributed to different places for shelter, it was 
again night, with no place to shelter ourselves. At this 
time E. M. Coats of Yankton appeared on the scene and 
suggested that I take a walk with him ,three miles, to a 
farmer friend of his, which I did. The walking was not 
good; the snow drifts were not sufficiently solid to carry 
the weight of a man. Some of the way we were tramping 
in halfway to our knees, and occasionally would break 
through where it was much deeper. We would have to stop 
and pull ourselves out, then commence new again. Oh ! how 
tired I was, but we reached the house, had some supper and 
a good bed. 

The following morning I arose, fully determined if possi- 
ble, to reach Yankton before the setting of another sun. 
After eating breakfast we walked back to the troubled waters 
where I met Ed Iverson, who was just returning from the 
vicinity of Gayville. He reported the people there penned 
up in the attics of buildings without food or means of es- 
cape. He also expressed a desire to go to Yankton for a 
boat and provisions for them. I suggested we take the boat 
used by the Sampson crew, as it was then idle. This was a 

favored idea, and we soon had help and were pulling the 

boat across the Jim River bottoms. 

10 



i86 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

We reached Hanson's Landing without obstruction, 
where we met several Yankton citizens, who greeted us joy- 
fully. Among them was Postmaster Howard, who said we 
were all heroes. After reaching Yankton, the circum- 
stances with our desires were made known to the County 
Commissioners. A team was procured, loaded with provis- 
ions; a boat's crew selected, and we again returned to the 
inundated country, at Hanson's Landing. Transferring 
the eatables from wagon to boat, we pulled away over the 
high rolling waves against a strong northwest wind, and 
touching at the brick house, long enough only to leave the 
greater portion of our provisions, we were off for the work 
laid out for us. 

It was far in the night when we reached a log house 
occupied by a widow with her children— seven in number. 
There was water to the depth of two feet on the floor and no 
fire in the house. The widow and her children were on the 
upper floor, remaining in bed to avoid the cold weather. 
After raising the stove above the water and starting a fire, 
Will Goodwin and mj'^self cooked supper for the family and 
crew. 

The morning of the 7th came, cold, with rain and hail 
falling. After breakfasting, with the widow and her family 
in the boat, we commenced our work for the day. We ran 
over to Peter Johnson's to leave provisions, where several 
families had congregated. Here the boat was loaded with 
women and children, and we began our return voyage. At 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB i%7 

this time the storm settled down to a very wet snow, so com- 
pletely covering the people and freezing to their garments 
as to prevent our distinguishing one from the other. So 
dense was the storm that it compelled us to propel the boat 
near the bluff, as a guide, which made our labors more fa- 
tiguing and retarded our progress to some degree, as we 
had to make the curves of the bank, as well as stem a strong 
current. 

As I write these words, I fancy I see before me (as I 
looked upon them then) that boat, crowded with silent, suf- 
fering mothers and little ones, and the wearied counten- 
ances of those of brave hearts, with willing hands, as they 
tugged at the oars, while we moved slowly through the storm, 
watching for the brick house on the bluff, an object we did 
not have the pleasure of seeing until late in the afternoon. 
After delivering our precious load safe at the brick house, 
we cooked and ate dinner. As I was suffering with cold, I 
quietly walked away from the exciting scenes to a farm 
house, where I was kindly treated and cared for until I 
could obtain passage to the west side of the Jim. 

The next morning, while on my way to the water, I 
called for a few minutes at the brick house, where I met 
W. B. Valentine, a Yankton County Commissioner, who 
was looking after the comforts of the unfortunates and 
making preparations to send them to Yankton, where they 
could be more comfortably cared for. 

While at the brick house, I learned of a yawl lying some 
distance west that would cross to the west side sometime 



i88 NUGGBTS OP BXPERIBNCB 

during the day. Hastening my steps in search of her, I ar- 
rived in good time, secured passage to Hanson's Landing, 
and reached Yankton the evening of April 8th, thus com- 
pleting my 

"Ten Days' Experience in the Flood." 



paper of S. IK. felton 



CHAPTER XVII 



NECESSITY FOR MORE BOATS — THE IRON LIFE BOAT — OUR AP- 
PEARANCE HAILED WITH JOY— CRASHING ICE AND ROAR- 
ING WATERS— HEMMED IN BY THE GORGE— HELPING 
ALONG THE OLD AND ENCOURAGING ALL— THE STURDY 
HEARTS AND WILLING ONES, 

By request of Dr. N. Armstrong, who publishes the 
foregoing, I add a brief account of my experience of April 
1st to 12th, in the effort to relieve the people in the sub- 
merged regions. 

April 1st, about noon, word was received by the County 
Commissioners of urgent necessity of more boats, to assist 
in rescuing the people. Promptly at the call the boats were 
engaged and crews secured to man them made up from the 
willing hearts, ready to do and dare in aid of their fellow 
townsmen. Mr. Monroe had just reached home from a two 
days' imprisonment in the gorge between the Missouri and 
James Rivers. In company with others I called on him 
and found him suffering with frozen feet in consequence 
of exposure in his noble efforts to relieve the family of Mr. 
Richards and some thirty others, who, like himself, had 
been confined upon the roof of a "dug out" nearly the en- 



192 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

tire time of two days and nights. After listening to Mr. 
M.'s account— which space does not allow me to record in 
full— we decided that our first duty was to relieve these 
people. Accordingly, on the morning of April the 2d, we 
launched our iron life boat, and turned down the wild stream 
of the Missouri, among seething water, grinding ice and 
blinding snow— about five miles below Yankton and be- 
tween the two rivers. On rounding the point of a large 
gorge of ice we suddenly came on a part of the party we 
were in search of, struggling in two small skiffs to get out 
from among the gorge and running ice. Our appear- 
ance was hailed with joy by the almost perishing women 
and children— though braver hearts than theirs never came 
within the writer's notice. Not a murmur of complaint 
from old or young. Transferring fourteen from the boats 
and ice to our yawl, we turned towards Yankton, reaching 
the immense gorge opposite the steamboat landing in Yank- 
ton about noon, where willing hands assisted us in trans- 
ferring them to land and the kind care of the citizens. 

I would not forget to mention here, that on our way up 
with these people, we met Captain Noble and crew, pulling 
for the neighborhood of Clark West's, their arrival there, 
and subsequent effective service having been stated by 
Dr. A. 

Again reaching the vicinity of the house of Mr. Rich- 
ards about 2 o'clock in the afternoon we found nearly one- 
half mile of gorged ice between us and those we were bound 



NUGGUTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 193 

to release. Over this on foot we made onr way to the house, 
where we found Mr. and Mrs. Semple— an aged couple 
nearly ninety years old— their son, B. M. Semple, Mr. Rich- 
ards, Mr. English and several others. Taking Mr. R.'s sled 
we placed the aged couple together with a Mrs. McArthur, 
upon the sled, strung out a long rope, while others held up 
our impromptu ice boat, and succeeded in again reaching 
our boats in safety, less numerous involuntary baths, which 
at this season of the year are not remarkable for their pleas- 
ant effects. Loading in our precious freight we again 
turned towards Yankton, reaching land again at dark. The 
experience of these unfortunate people would fill a volume, 
spending the cold nights in the out-door air, surrounded by 
crashing ice and roaring water, their only hope of safety 
being less than thirty feet square of solid earth, which 
raised itself as an "oasis" above the surrounding waters. 

Sunday, April 3rd, we left Yankton again for the scene 
of danger, in a severe cold northwest gale, with ice running 
wild. We became hemmed in, and were forced to seek ref- 
uge in the lea of some timber, on the roof of a log stable, 
with water a little over the eaves. Here we remained until 
4 o'clock p. m., when the ice opening to the north, we made 
a dash for open water, and again succeeded in reaching Mr. 
Richard's house at dark. After a night similar to those 
described by Dr. A., daylight found us hemmed in by the 
gorge, the nearest open water was distant one and one-half 
miles, with no other alternative but to haul our boat by 



194 NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

hand over the ice, so at it we went, and in two hours' time 
reached open water and soon after arrived at the house of 
Louis Volin on the bluff, where -we found that Captain Lav- 
ender had just landed his first boat load of sufferers on 
terra firma. Hastening to the gorge we were just in time to 
meet Captain Noble and Wm. Giggey, with each a yawl 
load, who were immediately helped across the gorge to our 
boat. At this place we met Dr. Armstrong Avith his arms 
full of little ones, helping along the old, encouraging all to 
keep up good heart. Remaining at this point only as long 
as our services were needed, we pulled for the vicinity of 
John Thompson 's, where we found a large number of fami- 
lies in the attics of their houses, with water and ice nearly 
on a level with their feet. One family being in a house 
Avithout an attic floor, were huddled together on a bed, which 
was hoisted as high as possible on boxes and chairs, near a 
hole which they had cut through the roof. We found here 
the mother and four little ones, while the father sat on the 
roof, apparently indifferent, whether assistance came or 
not. From this vicinity we landed eight families, in all 
forty-two persons. We continued in this work for ten 
days, each day being but a repetition of former scenes, in- 
cidents and labors, until all were saved who could be 
reached, though they were so hemmed in by ice that to 
reach them by boat or on foot over the ice was utterly im- 
possible. While the destruction of live stock was appalling, 
we can rejoice that there was but little loss of life, though 
for many days these people suffered all but death. 



NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 195 

To the sturdy hearts and willing ones, who composed 
the crews of the different boats engaged in this work, no 
less than to those who had the honor to be at the helm, ia 
due the praise and thanks of a grateful people. On them 
fell the burden of labor, and an equal share of danger, and 
to them should be rendered a full share of credit. I sub- 
join a list of those who composed the crew of the yawl of 
which I had the honor of being in charge : J. C. Fitzpatrick, 
Anton Brockman, Samuel Martin, Thomas Adams, Charles 
Smith, Robert Logan, crew. 

Respectfully, S. K. Felton. 



^be S)a^8 of Migb Mbeels 

or Ibow Dakota Belle 
TIrottet) Hwa^ witb tbe Stages 



17 



CHAPTER XVIII 



mitchelij an aspiring town— the race track— the fav- 
orite GRAY MARE— EXCITEMENT RUNNING HIGH— THE 
YOUNG MARE THAT WAS RAISED IN DAKOTA— FAINT 
HOPES— THE THIRD DAY OF JULY— THE IMMENSE CROWD 
OF PEOPLE— A NEWLY AROUSED INTELLIGENCE— A DESPER- 
ATE TRIO— PLENTY OF ICE THE BALANCE OP THE SEASON. 

In the spring of 1882, the town of Mitchell, in Dakota, 
was building up rapidly ; money was circulating briskly in 
land deals, and a generous spirit prevailed in the matter 
of securing attractions for the aspiring town, especially 
among the livelier residents, A gathering of men from 
many states, mostly eastern, and largely newcomers, deter- 
mined that Mitchell should own a race track, for who could 
predict what fame might not reflect upon the new town, 
from the brilliant record of some trotter, as yet a foal, fling- 
ing its heels in distant pastures, all unconscious of its des- 
tiny. 

A trotting association was formed; land purchased for 
a fair ground, and a half-mile race track was built. A 
promising season was looming up, and the keenest interest 
was felt. Several horses possessing evident qualities for 
speed were bought and brought in, and when the work on 



200 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

the ground was well advanced, a two days' racing meeting 
was advertised to be held on July third and fourth. 

There was hardly a man in Mitchell, young or old, who 
had not the name of some hopeful equine on his lips, and 
while some were loud, others assumed an air of mystery or 
wisdom, and the town was in a flutter of expectancy. Trot- 
ters even trotted through the boys' dreams, and many a 
hotly contested mile was driven over the track before the 
meeting. Prospects were promising for a large number of 
entries, and all seemed delighted with the new enterprise. 
Not a man concerned but was confident of winning a bundle 
on the days of the meeting, and I doubt if there was ever a 
more enjoyable time anticipated at Coney Island or Chi- 
cago. 

Mr, J, K. Smith, the secretary of the Trotting Associa- 
tion, was the owner of a gray mare that had been in train- 
ing since very early in the spring, and indeed many years 
before. She was under the guiding hand of one Wright, 
who had come out from Iowa, professing to be the best 
skilled trainer and driver in all the northwest. This mare 
was a great favorite at Mitchell; she had been shipped 
from the East the previous year, and it was universally be- 
lieved that no horse in the country could defeat her in a 
race, in fact, it seemed as if she was looked upon as an in- 
vincible. Mr. Smith had spoken with a great deal of confi- 
dence in regard to the ability of his ma re, and intimated his 
apprehensions that others would not enter against her, and 
he would be under the painful necessity of starting her 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 201 

alone in exhibition heats. Excitement was running high. 
My semi-inaction seemed more than I could endure; my 
business was of too tame a nature altogether. I had no 
horse, and each owner of a racer was sure his horse could 
beat the other man's horse, and all were confident in their 
minds that they could name the winner in any race at the 
meeting. I knew of a pretty good mare, that had been 
raised in Dakota. She was a large, beautiful, dapple gray ; 
sixteen hands high, kind and gentle, and as yet none of my 
Mitchell friends had the pleasure of an acquaintance with 
her. As I became absorbed in the prospects of the coming 
sports, I wrote the owner of the mare, informing him of the 
race meeting, and suggested to him to bring his mare- 
Dakota Belle— to Mitchell, and if he so desired, I would 
drive her in the race. The return mail brought me a letter 
from the owner, stating it would be impossible for him to 
leave home, but the Belle was standing in the bam, and if 
I wanted her, I could come and get her. The time was 
short to think of starting in a race of heats, with a horse 
that had not been in exercise, for it was already the last 
week in June. Nevertheless, I took the first train for the 
home of the owner of the mare. I did not say good-by to 
anyone, and but few knew of my departure. Arriving at my 
destination the night of June 26th, I found the mare very 
fat, and started the next day to drive her to Mitchell, a dis- 
tance of about one hundred and ten miles. The mare hav- 
ing been stabled in company with other horses, was very 
fretful when alone on the prairie. She left her feed the 



202 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

first day out and would eat nothing but hay and grass. 
With the mare and faint hopes, I arrived at Mitchell the 
night of Friday, June 30th. 

I had intended starting the Belle in the three minute 
class against Mr. Smith's mare, which would be called on 
Monday, July 3rd, but the time was so short and she was 
not eating and appeared so tired, that I gave up the idea of 
starting her at the meeting. But many people urged that 
the mare should be entered for the race. The officers of the 
association also came to see me, saying it was their first 
meeting and they were anxious to make a success. The 
races, they assured me, should be managed strictly in ac- 
cordance with the rules of the National Trotting Associa- 
tion, and any man not obeying the rules would be punished 
accordingly. I might start the mare with the understand- 
ing that I would withdraw her from the race after the 
first heat if likely to receive injury. In fine, they won my 
consent. 

The afternoon of the third day of July came, and we 
went out to trot the three minutes' race. There was a very 
large gathering of people on the ground, and all were ex- 
pecting to see an interesting race, but no one thought of its 
terminating as they saw it. I suppose ninety per cent, of 
all the people who were present expected to see the favorite 
the mnner, and I confess I had but little hope of winning 
with the Belle myself. 

After arriving on the ground, I found a great prejudice 
existing towards Dakota Belle. This was caused by er- 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 203 

roneous reports which had been circulated for the purpose 
of gaining sympathy in favor of Mitchell's favorite. Some 
one had reported that the Belle was an old trotter, rung in 
to unjustly deprive the home horses of their rights. The 
driver of the favorite, who was adversely disposed, claimed 
to have seen her trot races in Iowa, and that she had a fast 
record. A protest was entered against Dakota Belle, and I 
was called to the Judge 's stand to answer the same. When 
I stated the name and place of residence of the owner of 
the mare, I declared that if the Belle was not eligible to the 
class I did not want to start her, but I believed she was, as 
Mr. Grange, her owner, had told me she had no race record. 
After considerable parley among a great many, she was 
permitted to start under the protest. 

Considering the many rumors concerning the Belle, she 
being entirely strange, and I having been in the place but 
a short time, we had but few friends when starting in the 
race. 

All drivers were called to the Judge's stand to receive 
position. Seven horses answered the bell, and fortune de- 
creed that Dakota Belle drew seventh position, which placed 
her in the rear rank and on the outside. We were sent up 
the stretch to come for the word, and to all appearance I 
had no trotter. The Belle was acting in an exceedingly 
dull manner and I was not pleased with her. She seemed 
to have no conception of the requirements of a race horse, 
and every horse in the race would go to the wire two or 
three lengths ahead of her. The third time down we were 



204 NUGGBTS OP BXPBRIBNCB 

sent away for the heat, with the Belle far in the rear, and 
to make the matter more embarrassing, she made a break at 
the first turn, and no sooner was she to her gait than she 
broke again, and I was loudly hooted at by the immense 
crowd of people. I have no doubt the chances for Dakota 
Belle's success had a disastrous appearance, for when I 
turned her into the back stretch, the other horses were all 
well away towards the quarter pole. The local favorite, the 
gray mare, which, for the want of a better name I shall call 
the Skipper, was leading the party, and I will say this 
much in her favor, that a more determined Skipper I never 
saw in a trotting race. 

I was lenient and patient with the Belle, kindly dis- 
cussing the matter with her, fervently hoping she would 
soon wake up to the situation. After passing the quarter 
pole she seemed to move with more elasticity, and '^^hen 
again turning into the back stretch, she pointed her ears 
forward and seemed more animated, which gave me some 
encouragement, as I regarded this as corroborative evi- 
dence of her racing qualities, and that I was not to be dis- 
appointed in her. A newly aroused intelligence seemed to 
flash upon her, as if receiving from me, at least, an under- 
standing of her responsiblities, I now began to help her 
along, and nobly she responded to every call. As she 
flew, to close up the gap, she passed one horse after an- 
other, as if to say: "I am a contestant in this affair; if 
you beat me, you will race for it." While rounding the 
turn she shook off four of her competitors; swinging into 



NUGGBTS OF EXPERIENCE 205 

the home stretch, she made a strong effort to close on the 
leaders, and it was good to hear the comments, as she came 
in a close third at the finish. The high rate of speed 
shown by Dakota Belle in this last half mile won golden 
opinions, even from some of the sports, but while some were 
willing to place their money on my side, the heat was 
awarded to the Skipper, and many stood by the favorite 
gray. 

While refreshing the Belle in the rear of the Judge's 
stand, I could hear above the din of confusion furious pro- 
fanity, and the bold shouts— anything to beat the big mare. 
They declared she should be permitted to gain no position 
in the contest, and Wright rushed about swearing like a 
pirate, but their abusive language only drove me to a more 
desperate determination. I was carefully watching and 
tending the big gray mare, and did not leave her between 
the heats. To my satisfaction, she was sweating freely 
and breathed out nicely. I felt confident now that she 
would endure the fatigue, and I had concluded we were 
there to remain to the end of the conflict. When we were 
called for the second heat, I went out fully determined to 
win. 

This start was almost a repetition of the first. The 
Belle did not leave her gait, but every horse in the race 
was around the turn ahead of her. Once in the back 
stretch, however, she got to work, and was soon in the 
midst of the gang, heroically struggling for the front. I 
was now reminded of running a blockade of torpedoes. 



ao6 NUGGBTS OF EXPBRIBNCB 

As I moved forward, the hindmost horse was pulled in 
front of the Belle, then another and so on through as I 
succeeded them. At times the Belle would be on the turf 
on one side, and again on the grass on the other side, so 
the battle raged; though every imaginable scheme was 
practiced to assist their favorite to win, the five were left 
behind, and the favorite attacked on the home stretch, 
when the battle was renewed, and a hot contest witnessed 
the last half mile. The Skipper being hard pressed, ran 
and trotted in a wild mingling of steps. When turning into 
the home stretch, the Belle made a rush for the finish, trot- 
ting nicely, while the Skipper went the entire distance to 
the wire on a run. 

After a long consultation among the judges, the de- 
cision was announced in favor of Dakota Belle. This 
caused a good deal of loud dissatisfaction among the back- 
ers of the favorite. Now the Belle had one heat, the pros- 
pects for the former winning the race were less bright. In 
jest, I said to the driver of the favorite: "Can't you make 
your mare trot a little?" With this the old man grew 
furious, and performed antics about over the prairie as 
if simulating the actions of a wild buffalo in the coils of a 
cowboy's lasso. 

We were run up for the third heat, and with it came 
the great effort, (as the boys have it.) Any old kind of 
complaints were being entered against Dakota Belle and 
her driver, and patrol judges were posted to protect the 



NUGGBTS OP BXPERIBNCB 209 

favorite from foul. The word was given us, the first time 
to the wire, with the Belle bringing up the rear as usual, 
but we caught the Skipper at the quarter pole, and could 
have trotted past her any part of the mile after, but each 
time I moved up, Wright would set his mare to running 
and cross the track in front of us. When going up the 
back stretch the second half mile, the Skipper putting in 
her jumps in great shape, I worked the Belle to her ut- 
most, keeping as little space between the horses as pos- 
sible, and when the Skipper was pulled to her gait (or 
rather to the gait she should have gone) the Belle brushed 
up, and showed her nose in front. My wheel was a little 
in advance of Wright's; I looked over and quietly re- 
marked: '*I have got you, old man." The old man's re- 
ply was a curse, with a demand for more room, and when 
his mare left her trot, she swerved toward the Belle; the 
sulkies collided, five spokes flew from Wright's wheel and 
one from mine. The Belle trotted steadily on, while the 
Skipper running to equal a short dash bang-tail, carried 
me to the extreme outside of the turn. Wright then pulled 
for the pole; when turning to the stretch, the Belle was 
again, pressing her hard, when she made another run, 
carrying me to the outside of the track. At this time Toby 
came along with State-line, hugging the inside, and had 
gained a position ahead of us. This was a great surprise 
to Wright, and caused him to leave me and go after State- 
line. Down the stretch we went for the finish, a desperate 
ifl 



210 NUGGETS OF EXPERIENCE 

trio: &tate-line to the pole, the Belle on the outside; 
Wright's cap had slipped from his head, and "\vith the 
string around his neck was dangling down his back; his 
gray locks were streaming in the breeze, and the Skipper 
was putting in her kangaroo leaps down the center, while 
cheer after cheer went up from the mouths of thousands 
of enthusiastic spectators. 

I never knew which of the three outstret<}hed noses 
went under the wire first. The judges proclaimed a dead 
heat, which was far from being satisfactory to the friends 
of the favorite gray, and for some mysterious reason she 
did not start in the race again. 

Three other horses were also withdrawn, leaving Da- 
kota Belle, State-line and Lady Sanford to finish the race. 
The Belle won the fourth and fifth heats, and the race 
was hers, and the Belle was now a favorite at Mitchell, 
where I started her again, as in other places, always 
with success; but the first race at Mitchell, as regards both 
drivers and spectators, was, I think, the most sensational 
contest I have ever taken part in. The anxiety of each 
individual seemed strained to its greatest capacity, while 
the immense gathering jostled turbulently. and were ap- 
parently prepared for open hostilities at a single tap of 
the bell. 

I had the pleasure of a hard-won victory, and the 
only pleasure that my opponents seemed to enjoy was hold- 
ing my money under protest twenty-one days, which they 



NUGGETS OF EXPERIBNCB 211 

claimed to be the rule. No reason could be shovm why 
Dakota Belle should not have started in the race, and 
after the expiration of the three weeks, with a good deal of 
reluctance, the protest was withdrawn and the money was 
paid over to me, and I had plenty of ice the balance of the 
season. 



E jFeast with the Mawke^es 



CHAPTER XIX 

UNLIKE UNCLE ISAAC CROSSMAN— THE HAWKEYE CLUB — SO 
SAYS THE DOCTOR— BEACH AND GOULD — NATURAL SCEN- 
ERY—MORE EXPERIENCE THAN CAPITAL— ALL SMILES 
AND ATTENTION — INVITED FOR AN OUTING— A TAM-O- 
SHANTER RIDE— THE OLD MARE's BLOOD WAS ROILED — 
jack's OBLIGATED DUTY. 

Some years ago, in a busy town far down the Colum- 
bia River, dwelt many good people, who, unlike "Cross 
Isaac" of Uncleman's Cross-Corners fame, long after Hor- 
ace Greeley gave his celebrated advice, "Go West, young 
man, and grow up with the country," remained East, but 
after years advanced and the country had grown, took the 
advice and the trail West. 

Now, being far from their native State, and lest many 
things should be forgotten, it was deemed advisable to 
form an association under the name of the Hawkeye Club ; 
and a spacious room was procured where meetings could 
be held, for the purpose of visits, talks and debates, to 
keep in mind old friends, the land of birth, and "auld 

lang syne." 

One evening, late in Spring time, when the thermome- 
ter was away above zero, and there was no snow or frost 



2i6 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

on the ground, so that it was not necessary that the Host 
should remain indoors, sit in a big arm chair in the cor- 
ner, smoke a corn cob pipe, talk race horse, drink hot 
whiskey toddies and hug a redhot stove to avoid congela- 
tion, the Hawkeye Club assembled in regular meeting, 
which, by reason of the liberal attendance on that par- 
ticular date, reverted into a very amusing evening's en- 
tertainment, consisting of reading, singing, narrative, per- 
sonation and oratory. A corps of ability being selected 
for the evening, and all required to participate. 

So Says the Doctor. 
Gentlemen : 

I assure you that I regard this a most gratifying meet- 
ing, and that I am much pleased to be with you upon this 
joyous occasion. It reminds me of many agreeable occur- 
rences, and of some occurrences that were not so very- 
agreeable, all of which find place in the merry-go-round 
of life. 

As we are seated here before this smiling, intelli- 
gent, and apparently happy gathering, I am very natur- 
ally reminded of the fact, that I was once connected with 
the merry making minstrelsy, and, as I am expected in 
some way to contribute to the entertainment of our little 
party, I will relate some of my experiences, which, I ven- 
ture to say, did not differ widely from those of many 
others who have participated in similar undertakings. 

Having had, in my earlier years, a fondness for negro 
minstrelsy, and being desirous in later years of making 



NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCB 217 

that a profession, I some years after the Rebellion, adver- 
tised for, procured, organized, drilled and prepared a 
troupe of excellent amateur talent, for the purpose of per- 
manent investment, and to travel in whatever part of the 
country might prove most fruitful, I having the honor of 
being proprietor, manager, secretary, and cashier of the 
noble body, an experience which any one who has been in 
a similar position knows well how to appreciate. 

Our first tour was through some of the principal 
towns in Wisconsin and other neighboring States, and I 
am happy to say that at times we exhibited with fair 
success. With Beach and Gould (Beach of the renowned 
Beach and Bowers minstrels) added to our party, we later 
played an extended, erratic season in the wilds of Dakota, 
where at that time were but sixty miles of railway mean- 
dering through the Missouri River bottom lands, between 
Sioux City, Iowa, and Yankton, Dakota,— Yankton was the 
capital of the territory, with a population of about three 
thousand, composed principally of government officials 
and contractors. 

Journeying farther west, and up the Missouri River 
to Springfield, Niobrara, and some of the military posts, 
we were compelled to use teams for conveyance, as no rail- 
road magnate had, as yet, penetrated the land of the red 
man, the coyote and the buffalo. 

Our travels were necessarily slow, and in some degree, 
tedious, but this we did not regret, as we felt we were 
amply rewarded in the pleasure enjoyed seeing that new 



2i8 NUGGETS OF EXPBRIBNCB 

and unsettled country, and its natural scenery during the 
beautiful autumn peculiar to Dakota, a country which has 
developed into a part of the wealthiest and most product- 
ive land in the Northwest. 

We were honored with the credit of being the first 
minstrel company to vocalize in those parts, and the first 
that many of the people had ever seen. And this was our 
programme : 



AEMSTRONG'S MINSTRELS!!! 

PROGRAMME FOR THIS EVENING. 

Paii First. 

Introductory Overture Company 

All Among the Flowers Beach and Gould 

Susan Jane Jack Briggs 

Sweet Katie Killaire Tommy Gould 

Will Be Dar Bobby Beach 

Take This Letter to My Mother Mr. McLelland 

GRAND FINALE 

FAMOUS BRANAGAN BAND. 
Overture Orchestra 



NUGGBTS OF EXPBRIBNCB 219 

Part Second. 

DOCTOR'S TROUBLES. 

Doctor Courtwright N. C. Armstrong 

Pete Bobby Beach 

Jimmy Jack Brigga 

Mr. McCarthy Diirbin McLelland 

M]r. Buck Tommy Gould 

Selection of Songs and Harmonican Solos. . . .D. McLelland 

Acrobatic and Breakneck Songs and Dances, 
Beach and Gould. 

Bone Solo N. C. Armstrong 

Old Virginia Essences Tommy Keating 

Arrival of Jack Briggs from South Carolina. 

Champion Execution Trick Clog of America 
Beach and Gould. 

SELECTIONS FROM ORCHESTRA. 

The whole to Conclude With the Military Farce, Entitled 

OBEYING ORDERS. 

General Bullet N. C. Armstrong 

Corporal Powder Jack Brigga 

Mary Jane Gunn Tommy Keating 



220 NUGGETS OF EXPBRIBNCB 

After a series of entertainments along the Big Muddy, 
among the natives (Indians), and return (with an abund- 
ance of experience and exhausted capital), to civilization, I 
located for a summer season in a pleasant little town in Da- 
kota, one member of my company, a particular friend, 
who, for convenience sake we commonly called Jack, also 
remained at that place. Jack and I were frequently hav- 
ing recreations during the warm season, and the months, 
seemingly as but weeks, very pleasantly passed away. For, 
although our amusements were not all of the most agree- 
able kind to all parties, we were not burdened with griev- 
ances of a serious nature. 

On one particular occasion, a circumstance occurred 
which proved of slight annoyance to my friend Jack, 
though when assembled with friends in our usual diver- 
sions, he appeared to enjoy the joke as hugely as any of us. 

In my stable was a pacing mare that had won (if 
nothing more), Jack's affections, also a black gelding that 
was classed with the trotters. This pacing mare, in my 
opinion, was one of the living curiosities. She had been 
in the eastern states in her former years something of a 
speedy animal, and evidently a victim of many experi- 
ments and erroneous teachings. She was willful, ugly, full 
of vicious habits, but withal, an inveterate puller. In fact, 
so established w^as she in this habit that the strength of the 
ablest man would make but slight impression in the way 
of controlling her when she felt disposed to have her own 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 221 

way. When speeding, I had found her so completely un- 
controllable that I gave her up as an incurable case. 

Jack, in his accustomed mood, in the evening, all 
smiles and attention, inquired as usual after the welfare 
of the pacer. 

"Jack," said I, "she is speedy, but she is a bad one. 
I find I have not strength enough to manage her, she has 
pulled me until I feel as if I Avere stretched from ocean 
to ocean." 

"What," exclaimed Jack, "can't hold a horse! I 
should like to see the horse I can't hold!" Thus he pro- 
ceeded in a ridiculing manner regarding imbecility and 
incapability, boldly expressing confidence in his own abil- 
ity to successfully manipulate any unruly steed that had 
ever worn harness. 

I had frankly acknowledged my inability to master 
the brute. She had fairly defeated me in a straight tug, 
and so I resolved to patiently receive all the hot shot my 
friend might be pleased to send, and to remain quiet and 
undisturbed. 

When sufficient time had been given to allow the mare 
to recover from her severe work-out, I invited Jack for a 
day's outing and recreation with the horses, an oppor- 
tunity which he was eager to grasp. 

Arriving at the stables, the horses were hitched to 
sulkies, and Jack invited to a seat behind the pacer. I 
was to give my attention to the trotter, as he was of a 
nervous disposition and required but one driver. Jack 

19 



222 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

was duly cautioned to handle the mare with care, as she 
was soon to start in a race, and under no circumstances 
should she be permitted to speed. This I impressed upon 
him, knowing well that all the power and ingenuity he 
possessed could not prevent her speeding when she felt so 
disposed. 

Jack promised to be very careful, and started away 
with the pacer, doomed to a **Tam-0-Shanter" ride, while 
I posed as a spectator, up behind the black gelding. 

After reaching the course, and about a quarter of a 
mile had been covered, a sudden thought seemed to rush to 
the old mare's brain that she was being teamed entirely 
too slow,— that she would be late. She began to hasten 
her steps, and disagreement was already visible. Jack, 
with unsuccessful effort, labored to control her to his lik- 
ing, but the more he would pull the faster she would go, 
till round and round the course they went with ghostly 
speed, Jack determined to sooth the ardorous disposition 
of the mare, and the mare as thoroughly determined that 
her liberties should not be interferred with. 

In the midst of the conflict, hoofs were divested of 
turf appliances, which were cast hither and thither, while 
horse shoes flew promiscuously through the air, all adding 
flame to Jack's perplexity of mind, causing him again and 
again to vigorously renew his exertions, but the old mare 
went along all the same, continuing her relentless career 
until; confident of victory secured. Then slowing her pace 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 223 

ihe walked leisurely back to the starting' point, with Jack 
looking weary of his job. 

With as grave a countenance as could be commanded, 
under the pressure of circumstances, I inquired: "Jack, 
could you not hold her?" 

*'I have come to the conclusion," answered Jack, 
"that of all her kind I have come in contact with, this is 
the most obstinate one." 

"She was a little unsteady," I replied. "You may 
jog her around two or three times more, if you please. 
This fellow has had work enough, I will take him to the 

barn. ' ' 

Jack made no audible response, but plainly evinced 
his desire for a discontinuance of track work. Hurrying 
to the stable, I closed the heavy gate, for I knew the old 
mare's blood was roiled, and she soon hove in sight, with 
her head high, mouth wide stretched, Jack leaning far 
back on the seat, both hands as one gripping the reins, 
pulling with all the strength he had left, and calling for 
the gate to be opened. 

The old mare had no time to wait the opening. She 
struck the gate at about a two-forty clip, and stopped 
very abruptly, allowing Jack time to slide to the earth and 
drag himself from behind the sulky, the most defeated 
and disgusted looking man I had seen for many many 
days. References to pacing horses at our social gatherings 
seemed to animate Jack ever after to his customary obli- 
gated duty of passing the cigars. 



H Comrabe'8 ILetter 



CHAPTERJXX 

Some years ago, a comrade residing in a far eastern 
Btate, many miles away, who had seen hard service during 
the Rebellion, was touring Southern California for his 
health. One year after his return, he wrote to Califor- 
nia. He gave a description of his trip, its pleasures, and 
the points of interest he had visited, and particularly 
mentioned San Bernardino Valley and Redlands, and as 
he put it, Redlands, the most beautiful little city I have 
ever seen, or ever expect to see. 

And this, I am informed, is a copy of the letter which 
he received in return, and much enjoyed reading: 

Dear Comrade: I deem it not necessary to say that 
I am glad to hear from you, or to receive the letter I have 
so long waited and hoped for. The letter that is, as the 
letter from far across the deep blue sea; the letter that 
calls to my memory the days when we were younger than 
we now are, and the many pleasant occurrences, and some 
occurrences that were not so delightfully pleasant in that 
long ago, when, together we toddled through boyhood's 
days; when, together, we signed an allegiance to our coun- 
try in her hour of need; together, we passed through the 
bloody angles in battle, which the fortune of war decreed 



228 NUGGBTS OF EXPERIENCE 

the Invincible? Second Army Corps. After the disband- 
ment of the volunteers, together, we returned to our home, 
and peaceful life; thirty-seven years having elapsed, we 
met in this land of wonder and perpetual summer, which, 
to me, was the most pleasing event of my years' experi- 
ence along the coast of California, all of which must 
be added to fill the pages of the life of the wanderer, 
still buffeting the waves of a turbulent sea. 

I have thought of many things since your departure 
from this fair city; oh, for the touch of a vanished hand, 
and the sound of a voice that is still! My heart has 
yearned for the dear ones that have long passed beyond 
the beautiful river; for the land of my childhood (blesa 
those happy days), Auld Lang Syne, and the dear old 
folks at home. 

But, I pray you, do not think me lamenting my lot 
in life. **I am not." Although I have passed through 
many reverses, if the old flag were in peril today, as in 
the days of our youth, I would readily repeat the act. 'Tis 
true, I regret the burden of broken health, which has been 
a great obstruction to advancements and comfort in late 
years, and at times I am sad at heart. Then I bethink 
me, and congratulate myself that I am much better cir- 
cumstanced than thousands of others, and I am grateful 
that I am permitted to enjoy sufficient health to be on foot, 
to move about as I do; to help comfort my comrades in 
arms, and to write letters to them— dear to me as brothers. 



NUGGETS OF EXPBRIBNCB 231 

Comrade, liave you ever realized the fact that one 
blessed with so genial a disposition as yourself, who, seem- 
ingly, can look upon the bright side of all things, can be 
of material benefit to those with minds so differently con- 
stituted as to see the dark side of many things? 

I speak of this prevailing ailment of mankind not be- 
cause I believe it to be an habitual preference. It may be 
circumstantial, possibly inheritance, probably negligence, 
which, in either case, in my mind, may be overcome by 
proper associations and adherence to good and cheerful 
thoughts. I have often thought of your urgent advice in 
regard to happiness. I have long since become reconciled 
to my lonely fate, the life of a hermit, and for the past 
few months my time has been fully and pleasantly occu- 
pied improving and beautifying the hermitage, ''the little 
redwood cabin on the hill." 

I am happy in the thought that you have experienced 
an enjoyable tour across the continent, along the coast of 
California, and return to your home feeling that you have 
been richly repaid for your time and expenditures, in 
health, benefit and the pleasure of the beautiful scenery in 
this Land of Gold and Sunshine ; and, my dear old friend, 
my sincere wishes to you are, "That you may enjoy many 
such pleasures, and may the evening of your years in thi» 
sphere be a long and happy one." 



232 NUGGETS OF EXPERIENCB 

The poet writes: 

Among the thoughts of youthful days 

One thought I can recall, 
" 'Twere better to have loved and lost, 

Than never to have loved at all. 
Again in later years he thought, 

And that thought of his did run, 
'Twere better to have loved and lost, 

Than to have loved and won!" 

In those California days his thoughts would seem to 
say: 

Oh, that some kind-hearted one might pity on me take, 

And remove from my home the bitter pill! 
The angels will bless her who will share my humble lot 

In the little redwood cabin on the hill ! 
When in later years our locks shall silvered be. 

As two loving sweethearts we'll fill the bill 
And we'll forget the trials and troubles of the past. 

In the little redwood cabin on the hill. 

I thank you for the visits you gave me. 

In the redwood cabin so unexpectedly. 
When you ponder on this golden shore, 

And the blue Pacific's rolling sea, 
Methinks your thoughts will wander far 

To Redland's heights and valley free, 
The beacon light of the harbor bar 

And thus in candor, ever be. 



NUGGETS OP BXPBRIBNCB 233 

0, California, 'tis sad to leave you! 

Thy land of flowers and scenic glee! 
For sacred ties I will say "Good-by!" 

I would my home might be with thee. 
When far away in my native State, 

Where the snow doth robe the grassy lee, 
I will oft return to thy sunny clime, 

In silent, blissful reverie. 

Come again, comrade ! We shall be prepared to en- 
tertain you in a more royal manner than ever before. 



Zvoice an ©utcast 

H Mateen's Etpettence 



CHAPTER XXI 



With justice to all and hopes for good results, I give 
this story to the public. I have no desire to heroize my- 
aelf, I have reached the years beyond that point of life. 
There shall be no joy in my bosom that any one shall be 
displeased. I have simply related the facts as I knew and 
remember them. If it shall save one from the fate that 
befell the hero of my narrative, I shall feel that I have 
done some good for mankind, and that I shall be amply 
repaid for my services. 

After the close of the Civil War, by reason of impaired 
health, I had moved about a good deal over the territory 
of the United States and Canada, and it was about the 
first days of the seventies, when I reached the beautiful 
little city of Janesville, with no definite period determined 
upon as to residence. 

Soon after my arrival, while being busily engaged one 
afternoon about my temporized place of business, a boy 
came to me, whose peculiar appearance caused me to defer 
my affairs for a time, and to look upon him with some de- 
gree of feeling, I had often seen his similar, but in the 
combination of his make-up, was something different 
from all others, that seemed to attract my attention and 



238 NUGGETS OF EXPERIENCE 

sympathy. He was but a small child, thin in flesh. The 
garments he wore were in tatters that dangled and wound 
around his little body as he moved about; they were un- 
clean, and much too large for the frail looking little form 
that they were intended to comfort. His head was a tang- 
led mass of hair, with putrid sore and scab that covered 
the entire scalp, where vermin were visible. As I gazed 
upon him in wonder, I thought he certainly had acquired 
all the symptoms of a much neglected child, a living waif 
of the street. With all, there were an air of gentleness. 

I was informed that his mother had died about the 
time of his birth, and that his father, who was a tailor by 
trade, was out of the city and did not often see his little 
boy. That the boy had a step-mother, and no home. He 
picked up something to eat as best he could, and usually 
found a sleeping place in a dry'- goods box, or livery stable, 
as the opportunity might be presented. I took the liberty 
to apply a lotion to his afflicted head which in a few days 
cleansed and healed the scalp, restoring it to a natural 
condition of health, thereby allowing the use of a comb 
in his hair. Advice in regard to neatness was also given 
him, which he seemed to appreciate as being very kind. 
The little one came often to see me after, and I, after 
some time, discovered that I had begun to feel pleased to 
have him come. 

One evening he came crying to tell me that that mofn- 
ing his father had been found dead in his room at the 
hotel at a city some fifty miles distant, and finished his 



NUGGETS OF EXPERIBNCB 239 

story by asking if he could live with me. The question 
was a serious one for me to consider, and I was at sea to 
know how to reply. I was, at that time, associated with a 
gentleman in Illinois, furnishing horses from that state 
and the state of Wisconsin, for the eastern markets. The 
business, at times, called me to one state or to the other, 
and as far east as Albany, Boston, and New York city. I 
was likely to be in New York during a portion of the warm 
season, and in the southeastern states for the winter. The 
uppermost question in my mind was, "Can I properly rear 
and care for a boy?" 

I thought of the dead father, the indifference of a 
step-mother. I saw the forsaken child before me, his up- 
turned face, tears streaming down the wan and emaciated 
cheeks, earnestly asking for a home and friend. Could I 
refuse the request of the orphan. The thought came to 
me, if a man can ever do a Christian act, here is a splendid 
opportunity. A little hand crept carefully into ray own 
and I was at once a captive. There was not cold blood 
enough coursing through my heart to say no. For a few 
moments I did not talk. We walked along, hand in hand, 
when again the child voice spoke, "Can I stay?" "Yes," 
I replied, "come in, you shall live with me; you shall be 
iny ^oy> 9ncl I shall try to be a father to you." The facts 
were made known to the step-mother, who appeared un- 
concerned as to with whom, or where the child might be. 

The boy was cleansed and clothed. His little cheeks soon 
grew round and rosy ; he practiced no bad habits, and 



240 NUGGETS OF EXPBRIBNCB 

obeyed my every wish without a murmur. I never found it 
necessary to punish him. It was his custom and delight to 
sit on my knee and have me recite comic lines in the Irish 
dialect, while he would caress me as a fond child with its 
mother. He was affectionate and of sweet disposition. Our 
attachment became mutual. 

About one year after he came to live with me, I caused 
to be executed Articles of Apprenticeship. This was done 
solely for the purpose of binding us more closely to each 
other, and that I could feel that whatever I did for the boy 
I was doing for my own. To this, the relatives offered no 
objections. The boy was started to school, and all went 
well. 

Now feeling that greater responsibilities were resting 
upon me, I endeavored to do the best possible for my little 
ward. His studies and recitations I gave my personal at- 
tention. I organized troupes and performed them for his 
special benefit, that he might gain practical knowledge of 
minstrelsy. When I went out with a troupe, he was alwaya 
with me. If I went to Chicago, or other cities, he was by 
my side, and permitted to sit before the most talented 
artists of the day, in the profession in which I was trying 
to educate him, the art of which, he, as well as myself, so 
much desired he should accomplish, I made myself his con- 
stant companion. If I had an outing he was given all the 
enjoyment it might afford. When I was called away on 



NUGGBTS OF EXPBRIBNCB 241 

business, my greatest thought was to return to him at the 
earliest practicable opportunity. No matter what my busi- 
ness might be, he was always foremost in my mind. No 
child was ever dearer to a parent than he to me, and I had 
the pleasure of knowing that he loved me in return. I did 
not know of a living relative of my own ; he was my all, my 
most sacred care. I did all in my power for his elevation 
and advancement. For this, I have no regret. I crave no 
honors. 

The Peaks, who, as a family of father, mother, two 
sons and two daughters, had gained some notoriety in years 
past as Swiss Bell Ringers, now appeared at Janesville as a 
comedy company, with Fannie (Mrs. Fitz) the only mem- 
ber of the old family with it, as sole proprietress and still 
retaining the original title. 

When the Peak family managers came to me to negoti- 
ate the services of the boy, I was reluctant to let him go. 
He was young, small of his age, and I wanted him to attend 
school, which I thought of greater importance at that 
time. The troupe went away without him. Wyman (one 
of the company) was sent back from the next town to make 
the final effort to secure the boy. The boy wanted to go, 
there was no salary, but the fact of the head of the troupe 
being a woman who had children of her own, it seemed to 
me that the boy would be safe with her, and derive some 
benefit from practice. They finally succeeded in obtaining 



242 NUGGETS OF BXPERIENGB 

my consent to let him go for a short time, provided Fannie 
would (as she had promised) devote at least two hours each 
day to his studies and recitations, which I found later she 
had entirely neglected. I visited him at different times, 
always giving him such encouragement and advice as I 
thought necessaiy. 

In the latter part of the summer I received a letter 
from the manager of the Peak family, informing me that 
my boy had become unmanageable and was needing my im- 
mediate attention, and that it would be well if I would write 
him a strong letter of instructions. Knowing that in such 
a case as had been described to me, that my personal ap- 
pearance would be the most efficient remedy, I accordingly 
made preparations to meet the troupe at the place I had 
been advised to address my letter. The boy did not know 
there had been a complaint laid against him, and was de- 
lighted to see me. I remained with him two or three days, 
and our visit was a most pleasurable one. When he found 
that Fannie had written and caused me to neglect my busi- 
ness, by reason of his disobedience, when he had done noth- 
ing contrary to her wishes but to play a game of billiards, 
he wept bitterly, and expressed a desire to go home with me. 
At this time he had been with the troupe more than a year, 
the manager always requesting more time to fill his place in 
the company. I had informed Fannie that the time would 
necessarily soon arrive when the boy must leave her, as I 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCB 243 

wanted him to attend school the coming year. I assured 
him that he should return to me, and school, and 
we would then be together ; this seemed to satisfy him and 
we parted with all the affection of a father and son. 

Some time later, I was informed that the Peak family 
were contemplating a trip to California, and as my boy 
was a valuable acquisition to the troupe, was determined to 
take him with them, contrary to my wishes, and that cor- 
respondence to that end had been going on for some time 
between the Peaks and the relatives of the boy. This thun- 
derbolt struck me to the heart. I had not heard, or thought 
of such a move. I could not think that his sister, who was 
perfectly familiar with the circumstances from the time of 
my earliest giving the boy attention, and had always ap- 
peared pleased that he was being kindly cared for, could be 
so false. I called at her dwelling to ascertain the facts in 
the matter, and received a bountiful supply of abuse for my 
pains ; for she had the tongue of a daughter of the Green 
Isle. 

I walked away thoroughly convinced that the communi- 
cation that had come to me was not a mistake, and that the 
affair was a deeply seated one. I at once saw through it all ; 
I saw that the battle of my life was fast approaching, and 
that the destiny of the dearest one on earth to me was at 
stake. I knew my boy well. It was my cherished hope and 
ambition (as I replied to Bennett in the court, when he ap- 



244 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCE 

plied the question "what do you want to do with the 
boy!") to make a man of him. I held perfect control over 
him ; he, always receiving my advice in the most kindly and 
submissive manner. He was free from vice, morally pure, 
but I could plainly see his finish should he be deprived of 
my influence at his present age of thirteen years, to which 
he had barely attained. His ruin was staring me in the 
face ; my duty called me to his rescue, and I threw my ut- 
most strength into the struggle to save him. I labored dili- 
gently with his relatives and friends, I earnestly pleaded the 
necessity of education ; I begged of them with all the force 
and ingenuity within my ability to help me save the boy 
from the hazardous step they were about to compel him to 
take. 

All my efforts were fruitless. The Peak woman had 
drawn an illustration that pleased the imaginary idea of the 
relatives, they could not be induced to hear to reason, and 
matters grew from bad to worse. The boy was sent to the 
relatives to be near, but to be kept apart and not permitted 
to converse or speak with me; by this strategy provoke an 
attack that would aid the Peaks to secure control of the boy. 
The Peaks came also, and the skirmish continued until the 
final battle line was reached in the courts, of which the 
proceedings and results will be found in the following notes, 
clipped from the different journals of the city written by 
the hands of those estimable gentlemen of the Janesville 



NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCB 245 

Gazette and the Rock County Recorder, who knew me well, 
and knew my ward and the circumstances of his life from 
his earliest infancy. 

NEWSPAPER NOTES. 

MINSTRELS. 

The California Minstrels appeared on Saturday night at 
Lappin's hall before a good audience, and executed a pro- 
gramme of interesting specialties to the entire satisfaction 
of the spectators. The Rowan Brothers of this city, appear- 
ed in connection with the company in double song and 
dance. Johnny Shay, N. Armstrong, T. Nolen and Burt 
Stow contributed their stage wit and musical talent to the 
evening's entertainment, producing an enjoyable affair 
throughout. The company goes west from this city.— 
Janesville Gazette. 

Charley Rowan, our little bonist and great song and 
dance artist, has joined the Peak Family Bell Ringers for 
a trip through the eastern country. He was a favorite of 
all who knew him, and will be missed by many friends who 
have known him from infancy. To Mr. N. Armstrong much 
credit is due for taking this little orphan to his arms at the 
time of his father's death and tenderly watching over him 
with a father's love. He will miss him more than all.— 
Rock County Recorder. 



246 NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB 

"dot/' 

About two years ago little Charlie Rowan, of this City, 
was employed by the Peak family to take part in its per- 
formances. Since that time he has traveled over most of 
the states of the Union, and has become a valuable acquisi- 
tion to the troupe. The part he took in the ''Flirtation 
Duette" at Myer's Opera House last Monday evening was 
well played and brought down the house. The "bone solo" 
and "clog dance" in which he took an active part drew 
forth rounds of applause from the audience, and as "Call 
Boy" he was equally successful. He is graceful on the stage, 
and with proper training is destined to make his mark in 
the world. The company advertise him under the name of 
"Dot." Years ago, when a small child, his parents died, 
leaving him destitute and to the mercy of a cold world. Mr. 
N. Armstrong, of this city, who has a big heart, took the 
little fellow in care, and has ever since been as a father to 
him, and no doubt loves him as if he were his own child. 
Once during the past two years he went to West Virginia 
where the company was playing to see him. "Dot" has 
good reason for looking upon Mr, Armstrong as a father to 
whom he is indebted for his present position and past caret 
which he cannot very soon repay.— 22ocA; County Recorder, 




Willie Knight Mr. Armstrong Charley Rowan 
LAST OF OUR HAPPY DAYS 



NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCB 249 

THE CASE OF CHARLEY ROWAN. 

A case came up in Justice Patten 's court yesterday in- 
volving the custody of Charley Rowan, who has been with 
the Peak family for nearly two years. It appears from the 
articles of indenture, that Nelson Armstrong, of this city, 
took Charley as an apprentice, and bound himself to teach 
him the trade and art of minstrelsy, and was to have hia 
services until the boy attained the age of 21 years. Arm- 
strong took him in hand, taught him to dance and to man- 
ipulate the bones, and today Charley has no superior in 
these arts in the West. He is now one of the most valuable 
members of the Peak family troupe, and pleases multitudes 
wherever he appears. He is good property, and the Peaka 
and Mr. Armstrong know it. On the 20th of March Charley 
left the troupe temporarily, and came home to see his rela- 
tives and friends. Mr. Armstrong, thinking that Charley 
had unlawfully departed from his services, applied for a 
warrant to apprehend him and return him to his custody. 
The warrant was issued, and yesterday the case came up be- 
fore Justice Patten. The articles of indenture of appren- 
ticeship were given in evidence, and testimony taken as to 
the care and treatment Charley Rowan had received from 
Mr. Armstrong, which proved that the care and treatment 
had been good. As there was no contradictory evidence, Mr. 
Patten decided that Armstrong was entitled to the custody 

of Charley. The only question is whether the art or trade 
21 



250 NUGGETS OF EXPBRIBNCB 

of dancing and bone-playing is such as the law would hold 
a proper and legitimate trade. Charley does not complain 
of Mr. Armstrong's treatment, but says he has been very 
kind to him. Armstrong now desires that Charley shall stay 
at home this summer and attend school, and if he rejoins the 
Peak family that he shall receive a larger salary than that 
now paid him, which is only nominal. It is now agreed be- 
tween Mr. Armstrong and the relatives of Charley that 
while on a visit here, he may visit his friends during the 
day, but must report himself to Mr. Armstrong at night. 
Whether the question of custodianship will be carried be- 
fore the county judge, remains to be seen.— Janesville Ga- 
zette. 

THE CHARLEY ROWAN CASE. 

As we expected, the friends of Charley Rowan, the 
dancer and bone soloist, who has been traveling with the 
Peak family for two years, have taken his case before Amos 
P. Prichard, County Judge, and will try and secure the 
custody of the boy. Fannie Peak is also interested in the 
proceedings, as Charley is the most valuable member of the 
troupe. It will be remembered that only a few years ago, 
Charley was running the street, destitute of sufficient 
clothing, no permanent home and picked up his living as 
best he could. He was a born dancer, as from early child- 
hood he displayed unusual ability in dancing. Mr. Nelson 
Armstrong took conipassion on the lad, had articles of ap- 



NUGGBTS OF BXPERIBNCB 251 

prenticeship drawn up, duly signed, and then took the boy 
home. He gave him instructions in dancing and general 
minstrelsy, clothed him well, and two years ago secured him 
a position in the Peak family. Now that Charley is 
"somebody," and his services are of considerable value, his 
friends and relatives, who once declared in a justice court 
that he was a vagrant, now want a decision that the articles 
of apprenticeship are a nullity, and that the custody of the 
boy belongs to them and not to Mr. Armstrong, The matter 
first came up before Justice Patten a few days ago, who 
decided that Mr. Armstrong is entitled to the custody and 
services of the boy. There is a large amount of evidence, 
and the case, which commenced this morning, will continue 
all day. Bennett & Sale are the attorneys for the relatives, 
and Mr. Patterson and William Smith, Jr. for Mr. Arm- 
strong.— Janesville Gazette. 

THE ROWAN CASE. 

The testimony and arguments in the Charley Rowan case 
were finished today, and Judge Prichard has reserved his 
opinion until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. The 
ground on which the relatives of the boy seek to get posses- 
sion of him is that, in Armstrong allowing Charley to travel 
with the Peak family, he passed from under his control, 
and thereby neglected him. The question of the profession 
of minstrelsy being a trade under the statutes, can only be 
decided in the circuit court. The statutes provide that in 



252 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIENCB 

case any apprentice shall be misused, ill-treated or neglected 
by his master, or by any person under the direction or by 
the permission of such master, the next friend of the ap- 
prentice, or any person in his behalf, may file a complaint 
in the county court, setting forth the facts and circum- 
stances of the case. It is not claimed that the boy had been 
misused, ill-treated or actually neglected by Mr. Arm- 
strong, but the simple act of allowing him to go with the 
Peak family as a performer, was a sufficient neglect, under 
the statute, to warrant the county court in breaking the 
articles of apprenticeship, and compelling Armstrong to de- 
liver the boy to his relatives.— i?oc/c County Recorder. 

THE ROWAN CASE. 

Judge Prichard gave a decision in the case of Charley 
Rowan this morning at nine o'clock. The statute in rela- 
tion to apprentices requires that some profession, trade or 
employment shall be specified in the articles establishing 
the apprenticeship to be taught to the infant. The instru- 
ment by which Charley Rowan was apprenticed to Mr. 
Armstrong, required that the former should be taught the 
art or trade of minstrelsy. This the court decided is not a 
profession, trade or employment, within the meaning of the 
law of this state ; and, therefore, that the relation of master 
and apprentice never legally existed between Armstrong 
and Rowan. The proceedings in this case were for the re- 



NUGGETS OF BXPERIBNCB 253 

moval of Mr. Armstrong for neglect of the boy. The order 
for removal could only be made in case the relation of 
master and apprentice legally existed, hence the only order 
the court could make in the case was to dismiss the pro- 
ceedings, which we understand was done. What will be the 
next step by Mr. Armstrong we do not know.— J a7iesville 
Gazette. 

The usual routine was gone through in the courts, and 
the proceedings were dismissed. The contest was unequal, 
and unjust. It was many against one, and a barbarous act 
for a selfish motive. Oh, humanity ! humanity ! What deeds 
of brutality are committed in thy name ! 

I did my duty and my best. Attorneys Patterson and 
Smith heroically and generously defended me, Bennett 
was insolent and abusive. Sales was mild and gentlemanly, 
and afterwards personally apologized for the part he had 
taken in the case, 

Charley was manly through all the trouble ; he had not 
forgotten his teachings; he gave me no unpleasant words, 
he paid me all the respect due a parent from a dutiful child. 
In the courts he was noble, nobler than any of all, who were 
preparing the way for his destruction. He could not be in- 
duced to say he had been ill-treated or neglected ; when the 
attempt was made to place the words in his mouth, he 
promptly replied: "No, sir; Mr. Armstrong was always 
very kind to me," 



254 NUGGBTS OF EXPERIENCE 

When all was over he gave an affectionate "good-by," 
but I was heavily burdened and my lips were mute to the 
words my heart would speak. The influence that was 
brought to bear upon the boy was overwhelming. He went 
to California with the Peak family, and the little diamond 
to which I had stooped when in its crude form ; raised from 
the filth, loved, cherished, and diligently watched over, pol- 
ished to its brilliant luster, was lost to me forever. I never 
saw him again. Dear reader, can you sympathize with me ; 
or will you say I was a fool for loving and defending my 
ward? 

I betook me to Dakota territory, with the thought to 
forget my bereavement in the mines, and the Black Hills, I 
did not reach the hills for some years later, nor did I for- 
get. I thought, I continued to think, I am thinking now, 
and I shall not cease thinking until thought shall be no 
more. 

Soon after the arrival of the Peak family in California, 
while scanning the columns of a journal that had been sent 
to me from the city of my pleasures and sorrows, my eyes 
fell upon two conspicuous crosses of the pencil under which 
were these lines: 

"Times in California are said to be terrible. A great 
drough also prevails, and no prospect of a crop. Charley 
Rowan is there, dead-broke and wants to come home. Has 
he any friends to help him ? 



NUGGETS OF EXPERIBNCE 255 

' ' The Peak family, insufficient to cope with talent of the 
Pacific coast, engulfed in financial embarrassment, the 
members were cast to the many winds, each one compelled 
to shift for himself, three thousand miles away, with the 
Rocky Mountains between. Spark, (Willie Knight, Char- 
ley's mate, a noble little fellow, who ranked second on the 
list in my affections to my own charge), was recalled to hia 
home to take up his school. Charley, uneducated, with no 
kind adviser to guide his young mind through the misty 
valley of life, was doomed to fight out his future battles 
alone. The resort, the vile houses of amusements. The re- 
sult, the old story. 

But few short years and the message. I regret the mis- 
laying of the letter, unabling me to give the original in full. 
The momentous, however, is with me. I read it many times. 

Dear Friend: Will you forgive mel I was drifted, 
and drifted from you, you were the only friend I have ever 
had. If you will send me means to go over the road to you, 
I will do anything you ask of me. I have grown a good deal 
since you saw me. I am a good deal taller. Send me means 
to go over the road. Your 

Other letters came, each one being a repetition of the 
former. Relatives expressed regrets, but all was too late, 
the opportunity of his life had passed; gone, never to re- 
turn. 



256 NUGGETS OF BXPBRIBNCE 

I behold the reproduction of the first scene of the 
drama. The orphan in misery ; twice an outcast ; craving a 
friend. 

I could easily forgive; I looked upon him as not the 
offender; I still loved the boy and would gladly have given 
him shelter and care. I could not help him now, as I could 
have done years before. My army disabilities were bear- 
ing heavily upon me; necessity was compelling me to give 
my entire time and attention to the care of my rapidly fail- 
ing health. 

My meetings with people of the profession, who impart 
information, were frequent. Still suffering, I secured quar- 
ters at the Chicago Homeopathic College during the lecture 
course, for the purpose of treatment and to more thor- 
oughly fit myself for the care of my bodily ailments, deter- 
mined to return by Janesville; for I longed to see my lost 
boy and to aid him if possible. 

It was early spring; the railroads were in bad condi- 
tion; our route was circuitous, and we did not reach our 
destination until night. Going directly from train to hotel, 
I secured accommodations, took supper, then proceeded to 
the barber of my choice when I was a resident of the city. 
The son of the old proprietor was now managing the busi- 
ness, who recognized me as I entered the place. He greeted 
me kindly, invited me to his chair, and, as I took the seat, 
he remarked : ' ' The boy whom you tried to make a man of 



NUGGBTS OF BXPBRIBNCB «57 

departed this life five weeks past." Having no more inter- 
est in the city I repaired to my home in the West. 

My life's journey has continued. The years have come 
and gone. My little hero has long slept beneath the green- 
sward of the Badger State, and I am an old man with sil- 
vered locks, biding my time in the genial climate on the 
coast of California. Every incident of the days far back 
are indelibly impressed in my memory. While the spirit 
shall remain with this clay, and the mind adhere to reason, 
I shall gaze ever with regret upon the sad scene of a once 
promising, valuable and noble life, struck down and de- 
stroyed in its infancy by the hideous sickle of a wicked con- 
spiracy. 

When I have reached the shining river, 

And shall have crossed to the golden shore, 
I shall see and know the smiling face 

Of my lamented one, passed over long before ! 
Freed from the burden of sorrows, 

Of those unhappy days of yore. 
Together, in the realms of heavenly blis« 

We shall rejoice, and part no more. 



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